Monday, January 19, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway - The Young and the Submissive - Shayla Black, Jenna Jacob, Isabella LaPearl

TY&TSBTBanner
TheYoungandSubmissiveCover
ee049-add2bto2bgoodreads2bbutton
Synopsis
Raine Kendall has everything a woman could want…almost. Sexy, tender Dom Liam O’Neill is her knight in shining armor, but Raine keeps pinching herself. Is he too good to be true or is this growing connection one that could last a lifetime? She’s constantly torn by her abiding feelings for her commanding boss, Macen “Hammer” Hammerman, especially in the wake of the mind-blowing night he cast aside the barriers between them and ravaged every inch of her body. Hammer, Liam’s former best friend, can’t stop coveting Raine. But Liam is determined to hold and guide the woman he loves and see if she can be the submissive of his dreams. However, he’s finding that her trust is hard won and he needs a bloody crowbar to pry open her scarred soul. So he risks everything to win her once and for all. But once he’s put his daring plan in motion, will it cost Liam his heart if he loses Raine to Hammer for good?
Teaser
TheYoungandSubmissiveTease2 TheYoungandSubmissiveTease3 TheYoungandSubmissiveTease4
Buy Links

* READ THE DOMS OF HER LIFE SERIES *

ONE DOM TO LOVE, BOOK 1
TheBoldandTheDominantCover
DOMS OF HER LIFE BOOK 3
RELEASING FEBRUARY 10, 2014
PRE-ORDER LINKS
* AMAZON * iBOOKS *
Giveaway
* THE YOUNG AND THE SUBMISSIVE (DOMS OF HER LIFE #2)
PAPERBACK SIGNED BY SHAYLA BLACK, JENNA JACOB, & ISABELLA LAPEARL*
*US & INTL GIVEAWAY*
About Author

SHAYLA BLACK

You know what they say about curiosity and the cat...but if you still want to know, read below. Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances produced via traditional, small press, independent, and audio publishing. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her "free" time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music. Shayla's books have been translated in about a dozen languages. She has also received or been nominated for The Passionate Plume, The Holt Medallion, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader's Choice Awards. RT Bookclub has twice nominated her for Best Erotic Romance of the year, as well as awarded her several Top Picks, and a KISS Hero Award. A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every new book.

JENNA JACOB

Bestselling Author Jenna Jacob's erotic romance comes from the heart of submission. With over twenty years experience in the dynamics of the BDSM lifestyle, Jenna strives to portray Dominance and submission with a passionate and comprehensive voice. Her stories will make you laugh, cry, and may leave you with a better understanding of the fulfillment found in the BDSM power exchange. A married mom of four grown children, Jenna and her husband lives in Kansas. Her passions include her family, reading, camping, cooking, music, and riding Harleys. She loves to make people laugh with her outgoing and warped sense of humor. If you're looking for hot romance with a kinky twist, pick up one of Jenna's books

ISABELLA LAPEARL

Isabella LaPearl is a New Zealand-American author of erotic romance. She loves to spin a good yarn and word paint a picture into life. One Dom To Love, The Young And The Submissive and The Bold and The Dominant are her first full length novels.
Tour Host OUAA

Cover Reveal for The Book Affair Volume 1




Title: The Book Affair Volume 1
Authors: Various
Cover Design: Belinda Boring
Release Date: February 2, 2015


It’s not cheating when it’s fictional …


11 full length romance novels for the price of one


Authors include:

New York Times, USA Today and Bestselling Authors Belinda Boring, Melanie Codina, L.P. Dover,
Jessica Gibson, Lisa M. Harley, B.J. Harvey,
S.M. Knowles, Lauren K. McKellar,
Heidi McLaughlin, J.D. Rivera and Crystal Spears


Loving Liberty by Belinda Boring

Liberty Montgomery is many things:

A dutiful daughter.
Perfect wife-in-training.
Easy to manipulate.
Compliant.

But secretly she wants more.

For years, Liberty has dreamed of a life filled with opportunities—a life where she makes the decisions, living by her own rules. Unfortunately, her parents have other plans for her, ones that involve her submission and total obedience. Every attempt to break free from their control is met with threats, leaving her feeling trapped. Just when all seems hopeless, Liberty meets Oliver Nichols. With just two words, be brave, he stirs up her secret longings for more . . . friendship, fun, and independence. He almost has her believing her dreams are possible. However, taking a stand can be terrifying when you've spent your entire life pleasing others.

Are some chances worth taking? What would she risk for freedom?

Connect with Belinda Boring



  
  
Love Realized by Melanie Codina

Jake and Gillian have been friends since high school. As friends, they have supported each other through all the typical life changing events such as marriages, births, divorces and even death. Gillian couldn’t be more thankful for the bond she shares with Jake than she is when all the shameful secrets of her marriage appear front and center, demanding attention. The emotional support she has so freely given to her friend over the years is returned in full force as she nurses the wounds of her failed marriage. But when she starts to notice there might be more to her feelings than just friendship….is she willing to risk what they already have, for what might be???

For Jake, it has always been Gillian. If only she knew she has owned his heart since the day he met her. After watching her fall in love with one of his best friends, he accepted his fate of being one of her closest friends and locked up the deeper emotions he felt for her. So when he watches her marriage fall apart before his very eyes, he knew she would turn to him for support. What he wasn’t prepared for was the return of those emotions he had long ago locked away. It didn’t take long for him to figure out that this was his chance and he wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers again. He only needed to make her realize, his love for her was real.

Connect with Melanie Codina






A Fighter's Desire by L.P. Dover

Two is always better than one.

What would you do if you were given the chance to spend the night with not one, but two fighters? Would you do it? Could you open yourself up to the pleasures they offered and do exactly what they said in order to pass on to the next round?

It was common knowledge that Ryley and Camden Jameson, well-known MMA fighters and identical twins, were just as aggressive and passionate in the bed as they were in the ring. The only problem was that if you didn't pass their test on the first night, then you didn't proceed to the next round. They loved a good fight, and that's what they got when they met Ashleigh Warren.

Ashleigh knew what was going to happen when the twins approached her with a proposition, and needless to say, she knew exactly how to handle them ... or so she thought. The rules had changed, and in order to get them both she had to first spend one night with each and last until they were done with her. It was a proposition she couldn't refuse, but she knew it wouldn't be easy to win. However, it was one that she was going to enjoy.

Connect with L.P. Dover






The Deeper We Get by Jessica Gibson

Chad Langer was always running. Running from his past, afraid of letting himself be happy and free. College was going to be his new start. New city, new school, new people.

Scarlett would be his undoing. He knew it the moment he saw her. Something in her eyes called to him. She was just as broken as he was. 

Sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles set in their path?

Connect with Jessica Gibson






Destined to Change by Lisa M. Harley

Destiny…it’s really an interesting thought isn’t it…destiny.

Loralei Harper’s destiny was determined before her birth. It was very simple. She was expected to graduate from high school, marry Declan Sharp, and have two kids. She would stay at home with them, while her husband worked on the family farm. But the funny thing about destiny is…it can change in the blink of an eye. Now Loralei has to figure out what to do when everything changes.

Declan Sharp, a sweet country boy, grew up with Loralei. Their parents couldn’t have planned their relationship any better. Loralei was the love of his life and their future was bright, but sometimes life gets in the way of your plans.

Jaxon Daniels, a pierced, tattooed, badass with a gentle soul, just wanted to get out of the city and relax in the country for a little while. The last thing he was looking for was right in front of him. With skeletons in his closet, will he be able to hold on to the woman he loves, when the past comes out to play?

Cade Walker, a cocky cowboy, never gave love a second thought. Sex? Now that was a different story. After a drunken night, all of that changes when he feels something for Loralei...with his heart. This good ole boy learns that alls fair in love and war.

What happens when all of these lives cross paths? Whose destiny will change and who will get their happily ever after?

Connect with Lisa M. Harley






Blissful Surrender by B.J. Harvey

This is a story of Sean Miller, a dom that will have your panties diving for cover with an eyebrow quirk. That will have even the strongest woman dropping to their knees in submission with a piercing stare, and Samantha Richards, a female cop who’s tough, seemingly impenetrable shell is strong enough to resist everyone except the one man it was build up to protect her against.

**Disclaimer – If you thought the first two Bliss books were hot, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Creative use of handcuffs, batons, a club scene you have to read to believe, and a tough as nails dominant who is blindsided when the one woman strong enough to disarm him threatens his resolve not to let his past dictate his future.**

Like the other books in the Bliss series, this book can be read as a stand alone. There are common characters in the books but it is not necessary to read the first two books in the series to read this one.


Connect with B.J. Harvey






Runaway by S.M. Knowles

At seventeen years old, Courtney Apuzzo is fed up. With a dead mom and an alcoholic father that beats her every chance he gets, Courtney decides that enough is enough. Packing up only what she needs, Courtney leaves home without telling a soul and heads off to find her new life.

Life on her own is not exactly as she thought it would be. With nowhere to stay, Courtney finds herself sleeping on an old stoop in an abandoned apartment alleyway. A chance meeting with a new group of friends seems like a great beginning to her second chance at a real life. But everything is not as it seems.

Tricked into a life she never wanted and fears, Courtney needs to run away, again. She needs to find a way out of this new and dangerous life. With the help from a man she barely knows, will Courtney find her way out? Or will she find herself on the run from a dangerous past, and a hopeless future? Faced with a choice that will change her life forever.


Connect with S.M. Knowles






The Problem With Crazy
by Lauren K. McKellar

The problem with crazy is that crazy, by itself, has no context. It can be good crazy, bad crazy ... or crazy crazy—like it was when my ex-boyfriend sung about me on the radio.

Eighteen-year-old Kate couldn’t be more excited about finishing high school and spending the summer on tour with her boyfriend’s band. Her dad showing up drunk at graduation, however, is not exactly kicking things off on the right foot—and that’s before she finds out about his mystery illness, certain to end in death. 

A mystery illness that she could inherit. 

Kate has to convince everyone around her that her father is sick, not crazy. But who will be harder to convince? Her friends? Or herself?

The Problem With Crazy is a story about love and life; about overcoming obstacles, choosing to trust, and learning how to make the choices that will change your life forever.


Connect with Lauren K. McKellar






Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.

And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.


Connect with Heidi McLaughlin






Defensive by J.D. Rivera

The follow-up novel to the novella Guarded.

Once you find the love of your life, it’s all sunshine and roses, right?

Not for most relationships and definitely not for Vanessa Smith and Jackson Berrios.

Vanessa Smith is finally divorced from her ex-husband and is in a committed relationship with basketball star, Jackson Berrios. Someone from Vanessa's past comes back into her life just when she needs a friend but could complicate the relationship between her and Jackson. Will the couple be able to get through their pasts coming back to the surface? Can two different circumstances tear them apart or sear them together? Will they iron out their problems and have a happily ever after…?

Connect with J.D. Rivera






Seize Me by Crystal Spears

Winter Belov was the sweet innocent one in her crime family, the dutiful daughter that never disappointed her father. One day, her father does the unspeakable. When he turns his back, Winter flees across the country, taking her life savings with her, determined never to enter that sort of lifestyle again. 

No longer innocent, she now lives in Nevada. Lana is her best friend and the only family Winter has. Together, they are two of the best exotic dancers in the county. While working a shift, Pyro, Lana’s long time crush, propositions Winter. He begs her to do a private gig at Breakneck. She accepts, with the condition that Lana dances with her. 

When Winter’s eyes lock with Braxxon Breaker's, the President of Breakneck, she realizes she is no longer free; she has been seized. He is everything she is running from but at the same time, everything she wants. Braxxon will not take no for an answer, and purposely disrupts Winter’s life.
Rivals of Braxxon’s club are vicious and they do something that will have him out for blood. Winter's and Braxxon’s relationship is anything but a normal one. If they want to be together, crimes must be committed, friendships will be broken and people are going to die. 

What happens when all that chaos mixes with Winter’s father locating her? It will be a bloodshed when Winter and Braxxon seek revenge and take no prisoners.

For readers 18 & up only!

Connect with Crystal Spears







GIVEAWAY

**FINAL LIFE by Rose Garcia** Highlight




Final Life by Rose Garcia
Book #1 in the Transhuman Chronicles

Nothing sucks more than being forced to move cross country during senior year. And Dominique Wells doesn't think things can get any worse until she's invited to a quirky neighbor's party. When pressured into playing a magical card game, Dominique's world goes from sucky to terrifying. She begins having visions of a red desert and an evil presence--a presence who hints at past lives and promises to kill her.

Plagued by fear and suspicion, and unaware of a family secret kept hidden from her, Dominique is determined to live. Together with a mysterious and gorgeous guy who's moved in while his parents are away, and a hot, popular guy from school, Dominique must seek clues to her past if she's to survive. That, and keep her emotions in check for the two guys she suddenly can't stop thinking about because if she doesn't, she'll be dead. For real.



Available on  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

___________________________________________________________

EXCERPT

            The image of blue sky, white sand, and calm waters popped into my mind, edging out the fear and panic that had taken over me.
            My body slipped to the ground. My knees sank into the cool, pebbly sand. A soft breeze flowed through my hair. Farrell stood beside me at the water’s edge, staring out at the still water. He extended his arm and helped me to my feet. I brushed myself off, recalling the terror and pain I had just left behind in the red desert. I patted my chest.
            “Am I really here?”
            “No,” Farrell said sadly. “Only your mind is here.”
            “Farrell, am I—?” I paused, not wanting to say the words, as if keeping them to myself would change my fate. “Am I dying?”
            “Yes.” He took my hand. “There’s nothing I can do.” His calmness filtered into me. And for a minute there, death didn’t seem so bad.
            My attention turned to a bird in the distance that soared through the cloudless sky. For eight lifetimes now I had died, and this was my last time. The world would never be the same, and it was my fault.
            Farrell squeezed my hand. “Remember what I said? The last time we were here?”
            Of course I remembered. “You told me the end is not yet written, and to trust myself.”
            The bird, a white Egret, flew closer and glided right over us, wings outstretched. A lone, feather escaped its plumage. The delicate quill drifted back and forth in the sky. Just like the feather from my dreams and the feather Ms. Ryken had given me that I had later seen at Jan’s. And then it dawned on me that it was the same color as Farrell’s aura. I extended my hand, reaching out for it. When it touched my palm, it disappeared.
            Like flipping a switch, I was back in the desert. Heat exploded inside me. The air in my lungs had almost emptied. Warm, thick blood dripped from my fingers. Farrell and Trent were on the other side of Tavion’s dark energy force, and I was still inside, barely alive. Tavion continued to lift me at my throat, squeezing the life out of me.
            “Dominique! Fight!” Trent yelled.


___________________________________________________________

ABOUT ROSE


Rose Garcia is a lawyer turned writer who's always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy. From a very young age, she often had her nose buried in books about other-worlds, fantastical creatures, and life and death situations. More recently she's been intrigued by a blend of science fiction and reality, and the idea that some supernatural events are, indeed, very real. Fueled by her imagination, she created The Transhuman Chronicles--a series of books about people who have overcome human limitations.

Rose lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. You can visit Rose at www.rosegarciabooks.com

___________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Line Between Release Day Blitz



There’s a fine line between love and hate, so fine that you don’t know you’ve lost balance until it’s too late.
I’m not sure exactly when I lost my balance, all I know is that he was to blame.
Dane Winters.
The boy who’d spent most of his life hating me for reasons I never understood.

** ** ** ** ** **

It was no secret that I hated her, but only I knew why.
She was off-limits.
And then our separate worlds collided with one tragedy.
It wasn’t her fault, I knew that, but I wanted her to hurt the way I did, and I needed someone to blame. She was an easy target.
Kennedy Monroe.
The girl I’d picked on all our lives.
And the woman I barely tolerated.
Until the line between love and hate was no longer visible… 

*New Adult Contemporary Romance*
*Due to mature content this book is not suitable for readers younger than 18*




PROLOGUE
Dane
16 Years Old
I STOOD TO the side, watching it all unfold in the wings. Jason’s voice grew louder, and attracted the attention of the students passing in the hall. Kennedy looked around, her eyes growing frantic, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. I played Varsity football with Jason, he was the all-star quarterback, and while I thought the guy was a complete tool, what I disliked most about him was his interest in Kennedy Monroe. He was a senior; she was a sophomore like me, and he could have his pick of any girl in the school – why did it have to be her?
“Jason, please, can we go somewhere private and talk about why you’re freaking out?” Kennedy’s voice was soft, and filled with desperation.
“Is it true?” Asked Jason. He towered over Kennedy’s small frame, and if I hadn’t orchestrated this whole thing I would’ve told him to back the fuck off and leave her alone. But I couldn’t. Because she was the enemy.
For as long as I could remember, my father had warned me about the Monroe family. He told me to stay away from them, that their family had hated ours since our forefathers had founded this town. For a while, I listened, I stayed away, and I allowed my father’s apparent hatred for the Monroe family to become my own. It wasn’t until after we returned from this past summer that it all changed.
Kennedy had changed. In just three short months, she went from a gangly, dorky teenager to a gorgeous, stunning girl who intruded my every thought, both in sleep and consciousness. She’d started school a year earlier, making her younger than the rest of us, and what I thought she lacked in social graces she definitely made up for in smarts. She embodied everything I wanted, but couldn’t have. And that’s what had led me here.
“Is what true? I don’t know what’s gotten in to you, but we can’t do this in front of the entire school.”
Kennedy’s voice brought me back to the present, and I straightened, leaning against my locker on the opposite side of the hallway.
“Open your locker, Kennedy.”
I stiffened when Jason’s tone grew harder, but reminded myself that I had to watch rather than get involved and stop it.
Kennedy fiddled with the combination on her locker, and as soon as it popped open, the photos fell out. They consisted of pictures of Jason, close ups of his face, of him at practice, and I even managed to get a few of him at home in his room. It was all very stalker-ish.
I’d outdone myself, and couldn’t help the wicked grin on my face.
“What the hell?” Jason bellowed, picking up a few of the pictures scattered on the floor. “I can’t believe it, he was right.”
My grin fell slightly, and I hoped to God he didn’t mention my name.
“These aren’t mine,” Kennedy said quickly. “I swear, Jason, they aren’t.” She reached out to grab his arm, but he pulled away.
“I didn’t take these!” Kennedy held a few pictures in her hands, and looked up at Jason as if he’d believe her. I knew he wouldn’t. I’d made sure of it.
“Then why are they in your locker?”
“I-I don’t know,” Kennedy replied.
With a shake of his head, Jason looked between Kennedy and her locker on last time. “Dane was right,” – fuck – “You’re a freak.”
Students laughed, and Kennedy slammed her locker shut before running towards the girls’ bathrooms, tears glistening on her face.
It was a dick move, but that feeling of morbid satisfaction uncurled itself in my stomach. It was just too easy.
“You actually did it.”
I looked to the side, and saw my best friend Reid standing next to me.
“Of course I did.”
Reid sighed. “You are such an asshole.”
I pushed away from my locker, and slipped the strap of my bag over my shoulder before heading towards my next class.
“I know.”
Kennedy
15 Years Old
THE SOUND OF laughter echoed behind me, and finally died down when the bathroom door closed. I slipped into a stall, and closed the toilet seat before sitting down and taking a breath. My heart was racing, and my face was hot. Humiliation warmed my skin, and spurred the tears that had started falling down my cheeks. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but Dane had been quiet for the past weeks and I’d assumed his need to embarrass me on a daily basis had finally been satisfied. Apparently he’d been busy planning his latest prank.
I wiped my eyes, and took my cellphone from my bag. We weren’t allowed to keep our phones in our bags, but I always kept it on silent, and on hand in case of emergencies. If anything happened at school, they’d have to call my father, and I had to avoid that at all costs. There was only person I could call when I needed help, only one person I knew who would drop everything to be there for me.
I pulled up Charlie’s number, and waited for him to answer. He was coming home from college for the weekend, and I hoped he was close. I still had four hours of school, but I needed to leavenow. I didn’t want to have to stay and deal with any more crap. I’d had my fill for the day.
My brother’s voice came through the phone, and I relaxed, if only a little. “Hello? Kenny?”
“C-Charlie…” My lip started trembling.
“Kennedy, what’s wrong?”
“Are you close?” I asked. “Can you come get me, please?”
“I’m ten minutes out, baby girl, you hang tight.”
My shoulders sagged in relief. “Okay, I’m at school. I’ll meet you in the parking lot next to the sports field.”
“I’ll be there.”
I ended the call, and after righting myself in the mirror, I checked the hallway to make sure everyone, including the teachers, were in class. When it was clear, I snuck out, and quietly made my way towards the back exit of the school. No one would see me, and I could cut class for the rest of the day without anyone knowing until the teachers took roll call. By then I’d be gone.
I never cut class, ever, but today I felt like I needed to. I needed to see Charlie, and waiting four more hours wasn’t going to happen. I hadn’t seen him in almost a month, and it had been unbearable without him.
As soon as his blue Ford F250 stopped in the lot, he was out of the door, and had his arms around me before I could say anything.
I hugged him close, and breathed in his familiar scent of leather, and pine. The girls always ate him up, but nothing compared to having him as my big brother. He was all I really had, and had been protecting me for most of my life.
“I’m here,” he breathed into my hair.
I pulled away, and wiped the fresh tears that had slipped down my eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
He gave me his boyish grin, his eyes bright and so alive. His hair, which was a darker shade of blond, had grown, and hung on his forehead. He was such a man now, but I still saw the little boy who always bandaged up my ‘booboo’s, and the teenager who stayed with me the first time I got my period because there was no one else who could do it.
“C’mon,” he tugged my hand, and helped me into his truck. “We can grab some ice-cream, hit our favorite spot, and you can tell me what has you looking like a hot mess.”
I giggled, and felt the weight of the last month drift away as Charlie drove us away from school and into town. He picked us up some ice-cream, and took me to the only spot he knew I loved more than any other place. The lake.
It was a ten-minute drive outside the town limits, and at this time of year it was beautiful. Warm, and sunny, and safe.
I laid out a blanket from Charlie’s truck on the deck, and took a seat, dipping my toes in the water. Charlie sat down next to me, his big arm around my shoulders, and pressed me against his side.
“Okay, kid. Tell me what Dane Winters did this time.”
I looked up at him in surprise.
“Jewel called me,” he explained.
Jewel was Dane’s twin sister, and while our families couldn’t stand each other, Jewel and I had managed to become close. We could never hang out like normal best friends did, but we made it work anyway.
Charlie said her name with reverence, and while I wanted to know what that was about, I didn’t want to pry. He would tell me if he’d wanted me to know, and I left it at that. I had more pressing issues that needed to be cleared up, and the only way I could do that was to lay it all out.
“Spill it,” Charlie said.
And so I did. I told him everything.
That day at the lake was one of my favorite days, and I hadn’t known until much later in my teen life that it would be one of the last memories I’d have with my brother.
CHAPTER ONE
Kennedy
Present Day
THERE WAS SOMETHING truly somber about returning home after being gone for a year and a half. I’d thought about this moment more times in the last week than I’d cared to admit. I wondered if there would be someone here waiting for me, but I knew better than to wish for things like that.
The cobblestone driveway was dark, and the lights that normally illuminated the towering brick face house were off.
No one was home.
As I stopped my Jeep in front of the doors, I tried to squelch the disappointment and replace it with mock relief. I’d expected it, and yet I was naïve enough to hope that maybe, just maybe, it would be different this time.
I inhaled deeply, and tightened my vice grip on my steering wheel, both of which were feeble attempts at gathering enough courage to go inside.
It’s just for one night, I told myself.
I’d be spending one night here before heading off to college tomorrow. I would’ve been happier to spend it in Georgia, but our dorms opened tomorrow and I wouldn’t have made the fifteen-hour drive fast enough.
I climbed out, and made my way to the front doors. I was surprised to find that my key still opened the lock, and the sound echoed loudly through the dark, open space.
“Hello?”
My voice traveled, and came back to me. I was alone.
“Great” I muttered.
I shut the door, and went about switching more lights on as I made my way from the kitchen to the living room, and then the dining room. After grabbing my small duffel bag from my car, I walked upstairs, ignoring the family photo’s splashed across the walls. They were all used to make outsiders think we were family, and maybe we could have been. But on the night of my high school graduation that had all changed, and I found myself more alone than ever.
My room was still left the same, much to my disbelief. I was sure my stepmother would have snatched up the opportunity to get rid of all my things as soon as my taillights disappeared. For the most part I’d taken the majority of my clothes, and small belongings with me when I moved, but the larger pieces of furniture had to stay. My large bed still stood against the right wall, with my desk, and dresser against the left. The floor still had the same soft carpeting, and the walls were still the light shade of pink I’d chosen when I was thirteen.
It felt strange being back here. I expected it to be harder, but I was oddly detached from it all. The few good memories I did have were all faded, like an aged photograph. I’d moved on. Or at least I’d tried to. There were still a few things that had the ability to set me back, but none of them were as daunting as seeing him again. My mood plummeted slightly when thoughts of him popped into my head uninvited.
“Kennedy?”
My thoughts halted, and I turned at the sound of the voice. When I glanced at the small, elderly woman standing in my doorway I smiled wide, and ran to her.
“Lucy!”
I enveloped her in a hug and squeezed. I pulled away, and found her blue eyes watery. Her greyed hair was tied up in a bun, and her light blue robe hung off her thin frame. She was a tiny woman, and she’d aged so much since I’d last seen her.
“Kennedy,” she sighed, “it really is you.” Her voice cracked, and I felt my heart constrict. I never considered how my leaving had affected her – if I had, I probably would’ve stayed. I couldn’t have that.
“It’s me Luce.”
Her hand shook as she cupped my cheek. “Oh sweet girl, you look so grown up. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I replied honestly. It was impossible to lie to her. Lucy had been working for us since before I was born, and lived on the property in a small cottage with her husband, Frank. He’d tended to our gardens, and maintained the grounds before he passed away three years ago. Growing up, Lucy was the only constant source of love and affection I had. Well, her and my brother, Charlie.
“I saw the lights switch on,” said Lucy, walking into my room. “If I’d known you were coming home I would have gotten the house ready.”
“That’s okay, Luce. I’m only here for one night. I have to pack a few more things before I move into my dorm at Brighton tomorrow.”
“Can I make you something to eat? I have some left-over chicken soup, and fresh bread that I can warm up for you? I made too much since it’s just me here.”
“That would be great,” I replied. “I’m just going to shower, and then I’ll be down.”
“I’ll put ‘Dirty Dancing’ on and we can catch up, okay?” Lucy wiped a tear away from her cheek, and then disappeared downstairs.
I let out the breath I’d been holding. Turned out seeing Lucy was all it took for the feelings I’d worked hard to bury to resurface. I’d have to worry about them later though. I had some packing to do.
After a quick shower, I slipped into a black tank top and cotton shorts before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Lucy had just sliced some bread, and took a bowl of her chicken soup out of the microwave.
“Just in time,” she said with a smile. “Sit your butt down, and eat something. You’re too skinny.”
With a chuckle I pulled out a bar chair and sat down. “Still bossy, I see.”
Lucy swatted me with a dishtowel and then took a seat next to me. “I haven’t changed,” she said. “But I can see you have.”
I took a mouthful of soup, diverting my gaze, and groaned. It was delicious.
“We all have to grow up, Luce. I just had to take a different road to get there.”
She fiddled with the dishtowel, wringing it between her aged fingers before looking back at me. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, more than any real words could say. We both knew why I’d changed, and why I’d been forced to grow up faster than most people my age. I was only eighteen, but it felt like I was twice that age.
“I’m sure if your father knew you were coming he would have been here,” said Lucy. I rolled my eyes, and took a bite of bread before replying. “We both know that’s not true. He could barely tolerate being in the same room with me as a child, and I doubt he feels any different now. Where has he taken the wicked stepmonster anyway?”
Lucy pursed her lips, knowing that she couldn’t deny a single word I’d just spoken. She knew better than anyone what my dear ol’ daddy was like when I was younger.
“They’re in Spain. They’re coming back in three weeks, after your father has tended to some business in Dallas.”
I looked at the remainder of my food, and pushed it away, my appetite suddenly gone. Thinking about my father and his trophy wife had that effect on me.
“That was delicious,” I said, squeezing Lucy’s hand. “I’ve missed your food.”
She peered into my bowl, and tsk’ed. “You hardly ate anything. No wonder you’re just skin and bone.”
“I’m not that skinny,” I retorted. “I’ve just lost some weight.”
Lucy narrowed her eyes but said nothing more as she cleaned up. What more could she say? I was in fact thinner after my year in Georgia, but I didn’t worry. Grief affected people in a variety of ways, and with me, it had robbed me of my desire to eat. And sleep.
“You want some ice-cream?” Asked Lucy.
“Depends. Do you still keep my favorite?”
She scoffed. “Of course. Peanut Butter and Fudge.”
“Then yes. We’ll eat that while you swoon over Patrick Swayze.”
I giggled, and made my way to the living room. Lucy joined me on the sofa, and we started chatting about what I’d been up to over the last few months. We skirted around the harder topics, and I was grateful for that. There were some things I wasn’t ready to talk about yet. With anyone.
Carrie Horton for Eye Candy Bookstore

Omg I have read every book from this author and this is by far some of her best work yet! 

We meet Dane-who is the BIGGEST a••shat I've probably ever read about! He's mean, a bully and you just want to high five him with a chair to the face! I wanted to strangle him so bad!! He's not your typical book boyfriend and I think that's why you are still drawn to his evil ways! 

Kennedy- god love her heart. Dane bullies and makes life miserable for Kennedy any chance he gets. His main goal in life is to make her life a living hell if he has it his way. Their families are enemies so that only adds more fuel to the fire as Kennedy just wants to ignore him and live her life. She wants him to leave her alone but Dane has other plans.

These two end up at the same college and their attraction is undeniable! Kennedy doesn't understand how can you hate somebody so much, but also want them so bad the same time?! The love/hate banter between these two are off the charts hot! I needed a cold shower and some chocolate after reading the sexual tension between these two. It is STEAMY!!! 

Finally somewhere deep down inside Danes heart he decides he can't fight his feelings for Kennedy and he gives in to temptation. Neither wanting to admit their feelings after all these years the build up leaves you with so much angst! Will Kennedy give in to Dane or will she push him even further way. Can she really trust the man she hates most in this world? Is Dane serious or is this just another evil way to hurt Kennedy again? Will their families ever resolve their differences for the sake of Dane and Kennedy being together? Go one click now! You will be left reeling and wanting more! 

I give it 4.5 stars! Tamsyn will have you on the edge if your seat. This is a must read of 2015!! 

I'm 21 years old & the ultimate Book Brat :) Coffee & Books are my drugs of choice, neither of which will be kicked to the curb any time soon! I go through a book a day & when I'm not reading I'm working on my debut novel, Beneath Your Beautiful :)I'm a sucker for New Adult Contemporary Romance with a whole lot of sexy thrown in & my number one rule is I won't read a book unless it has a happy ending! I also have the unhealthiest obsession with the South,and I don't mean my home country of South Africa - I mean cowboys, pick up trucks, sexy as sin Southern accents, cowboy boots and barefoot bluejean nights! One day, I will live in Alabama & I will have my own Indie publishing house - my philosophy is if your dreams don't scare you they're not big enough :)

Hosted By: