Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.
Showing posts with label Giveaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giveaway. Show all posts

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Blog tour and giveaway: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair


Leap of Faith
by Jamie Blair
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BfYR
Contemporary, YA

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.

Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?


Purchase Links:
 




Excerpt from Leap of Faith:


Halfway to 356 Maple, a black pickup truck pulls into the driveway. Music blares from the open windows. Chris’s hair blows around in the breeze.
My heart jumps to life.
How have I become so hooked on a guy I met yesterday? But watching him park his truck and hop out, I know how. Nobody’s ever done half as much for me, and he doesn’t even know me. He’s a good person, and I haven’t known many of those.
On his way to the front door, he stops when he spots us. “Hey!” His smile’s genuine, and fills his whole face. He jogs across the yard to meet us.
After seeing his room, I half-expect him to be wearing a superhero t-shirt, but there’s none today, just a plain white t-shirt covered in dirt. He’s filthy. “All moved in?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I watch his tall frame moving toward me, his jeans shifting with each stride, his shirt hugging his chest. I stop the stroller as he reaches us. “I love the paint color and the privacy wall. Thanks.”
He bends down, leaning his head in the stroller. His fingers wrap around Addy’s arm. “You’re welcome. Listen, I’m really sorry about what happened. My dad can be…I don’t know what’s wrong with him sometimes. Do you need help moving anything in?”
I ignore the jab in the pit of my stomach at the mention of Chris’s dad. “No, we’re good. We don’t have much, so it wasn’t difficult.”
He unbuckles Addy and lifts her out of the stroller. “Is it okay if I carry her in?”
I cringe at the dirt on his shirt, but he’s already got her pressed against his chest. “Sure.” I can always give her a bath.
She turns her head toward his neck and snuggles into a ball. Somehow she feels what I do with him.
Safe.
Secure.
Home.





About the author: Jamie Blair spent most of her teen years choreographing moves for her dance team routines, kissing boys on the couch after her mom went to bed, and pondering the mood enhancement qualities of Lemon Heads when consumed with Diet Coke. Writing under Kelli Maine, she’s the USA Today bestselling author of Taken. Leap of Faith is her debut New Adult novel.

Author links:








a Rafflecopter giveaway





Prizes (open US only):
10 winners:
--5 prize packages of a signed hardback, a t-shirt and a guitar pick,
--5 e-books with an autographed Leap of Faith notecard, a guitar pick and stickers

Paste this code in your post's HTML if you want to share the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Friday, February 15, 2013

Frosted by Wendy Sparrow (Giveaway, Book Review and Interview)

Title: Frosted
Author: Wendy Sparrow
Publisher: Entangled Publishing

About the Book: After falling through the ice one cold day, Kate is saved by a mysterious man named Jack and ends up marrying him.  Come to find out, she's committed herself to the king of winter himself.  Now Kate has cold feet about their life together...and cold everything else.
Forced to return to the frozen north for her job, Kate hopes to sneak-in and sneak-out of Colorado before Jack knows she's there.  After all, she's been living in sunny Florida for seven years, and he hasn't managed to come see her. But Jack has one last chance of convincing his runaway bride to come back to him, and he won't give up until he breaks through the ice that' frosted her heart.

My thoughts: This was a great quick read and I could definitely see this developing into a longer book or even a series of books.  Kate had been raised by two parents who didn't realize that their loveless marriage was setting in motion a lifestyle for Kate that would almost cost her her heart.  She had grown up seeing two people trapped in a marriage and eventually not even speaking to one another.  They divorced and went on to remarry, but instead of giving Kate the family that she deserved, she ended up feeling even more of an  outsider and unwanted.  When she marries Jack, she thinks it is only to give her an escape, because she doesn't think he will let her out of his winter wonderland unless she has married him.  She leaves, with no intention of returning.  

Jack finally catches up to her though, but Kate doesn't believe that he really loves her - as he has never said as much.  Even though for seven years they have been meeting in her dreams, they cannot speak there, but can only touch - but his touch in her dreams, while not unpleasant, leaves her cold and unsatisfied.  She knows what being trapped in a marriage is like, and doesn't want that feeling for herself.  But is she left cold because Jack?  Or because she isn't ready to admit what she herself feels?

~I received a complimentary Ecopy of this novella from Entangled Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.~


About the author:  At home in the Pacific Northwest, Wendy Sparrow writes for both an adult and young adult crowd.  She has two wonderfully quirky kids, a supportive husband, and a perpetually messy house because writing is more fun than cleaning.  She enjoys reading with a flashlight under a blanket—the way all the best books should be read—and believes in the Oxford comma, the pursuit of cupcakes, and that every story deserves a happily ever after.  Most days she can be found on Twitter where she’ll talk to anyone who talks back, and occasionally just to herself.

Wendy can be reached at the following:


Wendy was gracious enough to stop by and answer some questions for me today!

1. Do you have a favorite place to write or “must haves” while writing?

My office is a corner of the couch and I usually keep either Sour Patch Kids or Oreos around. Also, I run on Mountain Dew. Which all sounds terribly unhealthy, and, okay, it is, but when I’m in a writing rut, I pull out the brain food, salmon, and go for a walk or run.

2. Do you have much say in the title or covers of your books?

I’ve yet to have any of my titles changed, but I’ve been told that my titles are pretty good. Entangled is awesome about covers. Not only are their covers consistently very striking, but they do ask you for input beforehand on what you’d like and dislike. Still, I did feel very lucky when I saw the cover for Frosted and he looked just like I pictured Jack Frost. I wanted to go high-five everyone.

3. What were your favorite books growing up?

I loved fantasy books—especially fairy-tale-style. I loved Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede and Robert Asprin’s MythAdventures. Then, I skipped right into sweet romances and kept up with the happy-ever-afters.

4. Do you have a favorite quote?

“We’re all mad here.” The Cheshire cat, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

5. What do you come up with first when creating your character- the back story, the plot, the characteristics?

The dialogue. Almost always I have the dialogue running through my head like a film playing in the theater of my brain. I build the plot around the dialogue and the descriptions of the characters around their voices.

6. How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

I come from a very conservative family so I expected some surprise and shock, but they’ve always been very supportive. Many of them are beta readers for me. My husband and kids have been telling everyone they know my book is out. Additionally, my father has had a nonfiction book published; my mom has had poems published; and my brother is working on a book…so writing is imprinted in my DNA.

7. What time of day do you like to write?

Night. I’m a night owl. Sometimes I write all night and crawl into bed when my husband’s morning alarm is going off. I also have insomnia which leaves more time for writing.

8. What is the most you have written in one day?

Well, most romance novels run about 50K to 100K words. During November, which is National Novel Writing Month, I’ve written 9K in a day. It was crazy.

9. What themes do you love to read or write about?

I love to read and write about happy endings. I don’t read sad or dramatic. I’m a sucker for a rocky road that ends with the couple getting together. I like humor too. I need a few extra laughs now and then.

Silly questions –
1. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

You tricked me into thinking about this…forever. Everything I thought of had a dark edge. Seeing through walls—can you imagine how many awful, naked visions that would lead to? Being invisible—if your clothing isn’t invisible, you’re running around naked. Super strength—you’d break a lot of things by accident. But the worst—the worst would be reading people’s thoughts. You’d never be able to be friends with anyone if they found out.

Okay. I thought of one. I’d like to be able to eat as much cheesecake as I wanted without gaining weight and without dealing with lactose intolerance. I cringe to think of what my superhero name would be.

2. Do you have any hidden talents?

I paint. I’ve painted portraits and landscapes. On my personal blog, the header is a painting I did of a ladybug roaring at a caterpillar. It was inspired by an experience with my daughter who made a ladybug puppet roar.

3. Favorite season?

Fall. I love haunted houses, picking pumpkins, crunching through leaves, and the vibrant colors of trees all around.

4. Cat or dog?

I have a giant husky/lab named Nanaimo. He’s an eternal puppy and frustratingly adorable.

5. Guilty pleasure tv show?

Do I have to feel guilty? I love Castle. The writing and dialogue are intelligent. The only thing I regularly question is how on earth can anyone run in high heels like that?

6. If you could travel forward or backward in time, where would you go and why?

Forward. Forward. Forward. I shudder to think of losing modern conveniences. My worst nightmare would be to go without modern plumbing.

Thanks for letting me visit your blog and hang out.


Wendy - you are so welcome!  Come back and hang out again sometime!







Wendy is giving away this beautiful Sworovski Crystal necklace in sterling silver! Isn't it gorgeous!  Enter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Book Review, Interview and Giveaway: Watch Me Disappear by Diane Mulligan





Watch Me Disappear Virtual Book Tour brought to you by Reading Addiction Blog Tours.

Tour Schedule:


January 14 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
January 15 - Magical Manuscripts - Review
January 16 - Lov Liv Life Reviews - PROMO
January 17 - Mom With a Kindle - Interview/PROMO
January 18 - Addicted to YA Books - Review
January 19 - Snifferwalker - Review
January 20 - My Cozie Corner - Review
January 21 - Lovely Reads - PROMO
January 22 - Queen of All She Reads - Review
January 23 - Comfort Books - PROMO
January 24 - A Thousand Lives - Review
January 25 - My Devotional Thoughts- PROMO
January 26 - Book Briefs - Review/Interview
January 27 - Andi's YA Books - Review/Interview
January 28 - Books For Me - Review
January 28 - Sweet Southern Home - PROMO
January 29 - Oh, The Books You'll Read - Review
January 29 - My Neurotic Book Affair - Review
January 30 - Above Average, Below Special - Review
January 31 - Getting Your Read On - Review
February 1 - A Bibliophiles Thoughts - Review
February 2 - My Bookmark Blog - Review
February 3 - Books and Needlepoint - Review/Interview
February 4 - My Reading Addiction - PROMO





Title: Watch Me Disappear
Author: Diane Mulligan

About the book: Lizzie Richards isn’t excited to be starting over at a new school for her senior year, but she’s trying to take her mother’s advice and make the most of it—the only way she can:  By disobeying her strict parents’ rules. Lizzie’s father has moved the family around every few years to advance his career, so she has never had a chance to develop the kind of “BFF” relationships she thinks most kids have. She’s bracing herself for another lonely year at her third high school when her neighbor Maura gets sick of watching her little brother when she could be partying. Thanks to Maura’s plotting, Lizzie becomes everyone’s new favorite babysitter. Seeing her opportunity, Lizzie decides to break her mother’s rules by using Maura’s computer to create a secret Email address and Facebook account. She is quickly friended by Missy, a fellow transfer student as eager for a friend as she is. Things are looking up for Lizzie until Maura’s ex-boyfriend Paul sets his eye on Missy. Caught between her new best friend and the neighbor whose friendship promises instant popularity, Lizzie doesn’t know what to do—because she’s fallen for Paul, too.


Purchase Links: 
·  Smashwords.
·  Kobo


My Thoughts: I think that the author did a great job of portraying high school life.  Even though high school for me was many years ago, I remember feeling like Lizzie did, especially when it came to being the wallflower or the third wheel.  Fortunately, I didn't have to start a new school my senior year like she did.  Lizzie's parents are protective to the point of smothering and I think they could have lightened up on her a little earlier than they did.  In spite of that, she was able to make some friends, like Missy and Paul.  

Missy was a great friend to Lizzie.  Even though Lizzie thinks Missy is just about perfect, and feels frumpy next to her, Missy never does anything to make her feel that way.  She is very accepting of Lizzie and appreciative of her friendship, as she is also new to the school. Missy soon has a boyfriend, Wes, and though they try to include Lizzie, she often feels like a third wheel.  

Maura is Lizzie's next door neighbor, and the girl that her mom would like to see her be friends with.  Lizzie's first impression of Maura though is not a good one.  She sees her as shallow, non-appreciative, self-centered, and doesn't understand why her mother cannot see this side of Maura.  Slowly, though they have a rough start, Maura and Lizzie begin a fledgling friendship.  Lizzie doesn't really trust Maura, but a part of her would like the easy popularity that Maura has.  

Well, somewhere along the way she also became friends with Maura's ex-boyfriend Paul.  She knows that Paul has a crush on Missy, but he genuinely seems to enjoy hanging out with her.  Before she knows it, she has developed a crush on him.  With all his phone calls, invitations to dances and parties, and hanging out at her house a couple of times a week, is it any wonder that she would fall for him?  When things sour between Wes and Missy, Lizzie realizes that Paul is going to jump in to be her shining knight.  

I liked this book for all the memories of high school, both good and bad, that it invoked.  It showed that things aren't always what they appear to be on the surface and that generally everybody harbors the same insecurities, they just don't always manifest in the same way. I think most any teenage girl would enjoy this book, and while they may not believe that everyone has the same insecurities, it might get them to look at situations from a different angle.


~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reading Addicted Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~
From Chapter 6

I like the makeup better when I put it on myself. I apply it more lightly than they had, so it looks more natural. Try as I might, I’m not very handy at hairstyling, though. I can’t seem to tease the roots as Katherine instructed, and I have no luck with the up-dos they showed me. In the end, Katherine produces a small set of scissors and, while I hold my breath, trims some fringy bangs and layers, which we iron flat into a funky style. When we’re done, I don’t look like me, but I look sort of good. And good thing, too, because all the little pieces she cut are never going to fit into a ponytail.
“See,” Maura says. “That wasn’t so hard.”
“Maybe we should come raid your closet and see what we can do with that,” Katherine says, laughing smugly. She has gotten a little friendlier as the day has gone on. When I let her cut my hair, I think that sealed the deal. She is willing to at least consider extending friendship to me.
“You won’t find much interesting in my closet,” I say.
“What, no secrets?” Maura asks, suddenly turning our conversation away from the safe realm of appearances. My heart pounds. I’m not ready for this kind of conversation. Is this where they turn on me?
“No,” I say. “No cute clothes or skeletons.”
“How disappointing,” Maura says. “I thought there was a wild child in you that we had yet to uncover.”
“You’ve met my parents. They don’t allow much for wildness.”
“Exactly. Kids with strict parents are usually the ones who let it all out when they step outside their parents’ grasp.”
“I guess I’m still pretty much within their grasp,” I say.
Maura makes a tsk sound. “I thought for sure there was more to you, Lizzie,” she says.
I shrug. I wish there was more to me, too.


Diane was nice enough to answer a few questions for me - 


Do you have much say in the title or covers of you books?

I’m an indie author, and one of the big perks was having complete control over my cover. I worked with my sister to create the design. We started with the concept of makeup to try to clarify that the “disappearing” the title refers to is not magic but disappearing into a new persona. I’m still not sure if I’ll publish my next book myself or if I’ll seek a traditional publisher, but if I do go traditional, I think control over the cover is one of the things I’ll miss most.


Do you have a favorite author/book or one that you always recommend?

I always recommend Jonathan Franzen. He’s a genius. I fell in love with THE CORRECTIONS from the very first page. The writing is stunning and the characters and flawed, funny, and so real.

Do you have a job outside of being an author?

Indeed, I do. I am a high school teacher. I dream of a day when I’ll support myself as a writer, but for now, my day job pays the bills. Luckily as a teacher, I have summers off, so I can devote that time to writing.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Lately, in the face of some less-than-glowing reviews, this quote keeps coming to mind:

“I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

--W.B. Yeats

In one sentence, why should we read your book?

You should read my book to get back in touch with your high school self and to have empathy for teenagers, who often get a bad rap!

What does a day in your life look like?

A day in my life: I wake up at 5:45 and get ready for work. I must be at school by 7:45. I spend the day teaching (5 classes), working with students, and moderating activities. I usually leave school around 3:30. As soon as I get home, I have the highlight of my day: Playtime with my dog. After that, I put on my author hat, which is also my
business-woman hat. I check my author-Email, quickly visit my social networks, take care of my blog, and then—finally!—work on my work-in-progress. I also managed THE WORCESTER REVIEW, so most afternoons I have to take care of correspondence with submitters and editors as well. I love to cook, although lately I don’t have much free time, but I try to have something yummy for dinner. I just got America’s Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook and I love it! Delicious and fast. A weekday isn’t complete without watching The Daily Show and Colbert Report,
and then off to bed to regroup before another day! My day is a caffeine-fueled whirlwind, but I like it that way.

How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?

I am lucky to have a wonderfully supportive family. My mom, dad, sister, and brother were my first readers of WATCH ME DISAPPEAR, way back when I had just completed my first draft, and my dad was the last proofreader of it before it went to print. They are all really proud of me, and I couldn’t have taken the plunge into self-publishing without them.

Silly questions –

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I would be able to fly. How awesome would that be?

Night owl or early bird?

Early bird. I’m barely functional after 8:30 at night, and I feel like I’ve missed half the day if I sleep later than 7:30 in the morning.

Guilty pleasure tv show?

Game of Thrones. It’s the ultimate in guilty pleasures.

Thanks so much for hosting me!



About the author: Diane Vanaskie Mulligan began writing Watch Me Disappear during an after-school writing club she moderates for high school students. This is her first novel. She holds a BA in American Studies from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s degree in teaching from Simmons College. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she’s the managing editor at The Worcester Review and the director of The Betty Curtis Worcester County Young Writers’ Conference You can also find her occasionally strumming her guitar and singing at various bars in central Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband.

Connect with Diane:






There will be 3 $10 Amazon giftcards given away to 3 random commenters on the tour - so leave a comment with your email address!




Tuesday, September 25, 2012

November Surprise - Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Photobucket


September 15 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
September 15 - Andi's Book Review- Review/Giveaway/Excerpt/Interview
September 16 -  Wonderland Reviews - Review/Interview
September 17 -  Taking it One Page at a Time - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway
September 18 -  My Reading Addiction - Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
September 19 -  My Seryniti - Review/Interview/GuestPost/ExcerptGiveaway
September 20 -  Beth Art From the Heart - Review/Excerpt
September 22 -  Sweeping the USA - Review/Excerpt/Giveaway
September 23 -  Whoopeeyoo - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 24 -  Solitary Bookworm - Review/Interview/Excerpt/Giveaway
September 25 -  Books and NeedlePoint - Guest Post/Excerpt/Giveaway/PROMO
September 26 -    My Devotional Thoughts - Review/Guest Post/Excerpt/Giveaway
September 27-  Bookish Things + More - Excerpt/PROMO
September 27 - Kaisy Daisy's Reviews - Review/Giveaway
September 28 -  A Dream Within a Dream - Excerpt/Giveaway/PROMO
September 29 -  The Book Faery Reviews - Excerpt/PROMO
September 30 -  Literature Lovers' Labyrinth - Review/Interview/Excerpt
October 1 - A Chick Who Reads - Review/Guest Post/Excerpt/Giveaway
October 2 - Turning The Pages - PROMO
October 3 - Words I Write Crazy - Review/Excerpt
October 4 - My Cozie Corner - Review/Giveaway
October 5 - Book Reviews and More - Guest Post/Excerpt/Giveaway/PROMO
October 6 - New Age Mama - Interview/Excerpt/Giveaway/PROMO
October 7 - The Book Maven - Review/GuestPost
October 8 - Forget the Housework, I'm Reading - Review/Giveaway
October 9 - Conceptual Reception - Review
October 10 - My Escape - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt



November Surprise
Laurel Osterkamp
Chick Lit/Women's Fiction
Date Published: Aug 2012

For Lucy Jones, the distinction between love and politics is hazy at best. Both can be all-consuming, and either can lead to a heart-breaking loss or an exhilarating win. Whatever the case, if you’re seen as a loser, you probably are one. Lucy first learns this lesson in 1988, when she’s a shy girl, battling a high school bully and rooting for Dukakis. Through the years Lucy will experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as she makes the choices that define her. Meanwhile, she also struggles to define her relationship with Monty, who comes in and out of her life like the changes in public opinion. Is Monty simply a one-night stand, a kindred spirit, or the love of her life? And by 2008, can he offer her a change to believe in?

Over the course of twenty years and six presidential elections, Lucy grows and adjusts with the times. Filled with snarky political and pop-culture references, November Surprise is about the journey we take to believe in a candidate, in love, and in ourselves.

November Surprise is a companion piece to Campaign Promises, which is free on Amazon. They can be read in either order. Both have a liberal slant.






Laurel Osterkamp was a comedy writer in Minneapolis before she began writing novels.
Her first novel, Following My Toes, has been a Kindle best seller and won the 2008
Indie Excellence Award for Chick Lit. Starring in the Movie of My Life received honors
in the 2011 Indie Excellence Awards for Chick Lit, and in the 2011 International Book
Awards for Women's Fiction and Young Adult Lit. Both books are indie approved at
indiereader.com. She currently teaches high school, and is working on her next book,
which is inspired by her recent jury duty.


Website       
Blog               



Laurel is running a giveaway for a $30 Amazon Giftcard.  A comment on any of her stops on the blog tour will get you an entry.  If you buy November Surprise and send their receipt to laurel@pmibooks.com you will receive 10 entries into the giveaway.


Links to Buy









My 10 Favorite Authors in no Particular Order:
by Laurel Osterkamp

Disclaimer: I teach high school English, so I have this notion that my favorite authors ought to be literary. However, I’ve been a reader longer than I’ve been a teacher or a writer, and most of what I’ve read is not considered fine literature. There are a few literary authors in my faves list, but most of them are popular fiction.

  1. Beverly Cleary – I read all the Ramona books when I was little, and it was like reading about my own thoughts and my own life. When I was twelve I read Fifteen and it was the best book I’d ever read. I went on to read everything by Cleary, except for the books with male main characters. However, I’ve read all of those now too, because I read them aloud to my seven-year-old son. Beverly Cleary really stands the test of time.
  2. J.K. Rowling – When speaking of books “meant for children” the Harry Potter series has to come to mind. I was definitely no longer a kid when I read them, and like most of the world, no series has left me so enthralled. I’ve read the first three books to my son now, but we’re holding off on the fourth, because he’s a little young yet for something so dark.
  3. Suzanne Collins – I read The Hunger Games as assigned reading when I was taking a course on writing young adult lit. I couldn’t put it down! Collins blends action, suspense, romance, and satire seamlessly. God, I wish I had written it myself.
  4. Betty Smith – She wrote A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Joy in the Morning, both of which I read when I was kid. Something about them really struck a cord; they’re both female stories of self-discovery, which is what I like to write myself.
  5. Melissa Bank – Her novel Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing is one of the pioneers of the chick-lit movement, and her writing style is amazing. I could read and reread this novel endlessly.
  6. Emily Giffin – I always read whatever she publishes.
  7. Jennifer Weiner – See above.
  8. Curtis Sittenfeld – See above again.
  9. Douglas Coupland – I actually haven’t read that much by him, but his short story collection, Life After God made me cry because it was written so beautifully.
  10. William Shakespeare -  I love his plays. I don’t sit around and read them in my spare time, but every year when I teach my 10th graders Macbeth I discover something new about it myself. It’s simply amazing.

Please enjoy this excerpt from November Surprise



Monty and I have been dancing together all evening. The slow songs are the best, but we also do the Macarena and even the Chicken Dance. I can’t stop laughing the entire time I’m quacking my hands.
Jack and his new wife, Petra, have fed each other cake. Petra has thrown her bouquet, and all the toasts have been given. The night is winding down, and Monty leads me off the dance floor.
“I’m really glad neither of us had dates,” he says.
“Yeah, me too.” My heart beats just a little bit faster than normal.
“And I’m sorry about earlier. Hitting on you like that. It was clumsy. Will you forgive me?” His face is flushed and his tie is loosened. I’m sure I’ve noticed before how good looking he is, but this is the first time I’ve let myself appreciate it.
“There’s nothing to forgive.” I look around, make sure nobody is watching, and then I stand on my tip-toes and plant a kiss on his cheek. When he doesn’t flinch or pull away, I give him the barest whisper of a kiss on the lips.
It’s all the encouragement he needs.
With a conspiratorial smile, he takes my hand and leads me outside the reception hall. I follow willingly.
When we get to a dark, hidden spot, he wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me deeply. I can feel it everywhere, my entire body is tingling, my knees are weak, and I’m sure that at any moment, my heart will explode.
I don’t want him to stop. But he does.
“Where are you staying tonight?” he asks.
“I was going to drive back to my parents’ house.”
“Hmm…” he leans in and kisses me some more. I press up against him like I can’t get close enough. He tilts his head back ever so slightly, so he can talk. “That’s a long drive. Do you want to stay with me, instead?”
“You have a hotel room?”
“It’s close to the airport,” he whispers. “I fly back to New York really early tomorrow.” Then he baby kisses my eyes, nose, and chin.
I don’t answer immediately. I’m trying to steady my breathing. “So you can make a clean get away?”
“It’s not like that.” he smiles. “And you haven’t even said yes, yet.”
But he knows I’m going to. “You can’t ever tell Jack,” I say.
“He just got married, Lucy. Do you really think he’ll care?”
I rub my hands down his back and across the taut muscles in his arms. “I never had sex with him, and we dated for months. If he finds out you and I had a one night stand…”
Monty cuts me off with another kiss. “I promise I’ll never tell him,” he murmurs, between kisses.
We make out a few seconds more, but our kissing is interrupted when I’m consumed with a fit of giggles.
“What’s so funny?” Monty asks.
I shake my head. “Sorry. It just occurred to me. I’m about to do it with the homecoming king.”
Monty chuckles. “Does that turn you on?”
“Yeah,” I admit. “Kind of. Is that okay?”
He kisses my neck. I tilt my head back and sigh in pleasure.
“Are you kidding?” His lips are a mere centimeter from my skin as he mumbles, and his arms tighten around me even more. “If I had known, I would have worn my crown.”
Now we’re both laughing.
“You know this isn’t the sort of thing I usually do…”
He raises his face so he’s looking me in the eye. “I know,” he says, and he smiles. Crinkles form around his green eyes, and I feel a moment of panic. There’s no way I’m casual enough to be with him for just one night.
“Let’s make it special, okay?” He reaches down and clasps my hand, and I let him lead me somewhere, again. This time, I follow him to the parking lot. Tonight, I’d follow him anywhere.







*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*


LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...