Special Edition Release!! Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn ~ Giveaway

CAISEY QUINN HAS EXCITING NEWS!

In honor of her nephew (who also happens to share a name with her main character) being born early, she's releasing a special edition of her novel Keep Me Still!

The special edition will include the novella Let You Leave which will no longer be available after this edition goes off sale!

So when can you get a copy of this special edition of Keep Me Still?

Wait for it...

NOW!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BOOK TRAILER

EXCERPT

“Tell me what you want,” I demand, pulling her two wrists into one of my hands. I lift them above her head so I can feel her body on mine without our hands in the way.

 “I want…” She pauses to swallow, and I don’t know why I need her to ask for it…but I do. I need to know that this is what she wants. That I’m the one she wants. “I want to have fun, to stop worrying and feeling guilty all the time just for being alive.”

That wasn’t exactly the response I was hoping for, but beggars can’t be choosers. “And how should we go about making that happen? Specifically,” I clarify, letting my lips rest just a few inches from hers. I can feel her breath on my mouth. “Tell me what I can do to help.”

 Her little pink tongue swipes her lips, coming so close to my own I can practically taste her, and I nearly come undone right then and there. “You should kiss me.” I move in closer, but only a tiny bit.

“And why would I do that?” Her voice is so low I have to lean in to hear her clearly. “Because you want to. Because I’ve been waiting for a very long time. Because you can.” Her words fill me with heat and need. I want so much more than to kiss her. But I’m not going to get greedy here and risk losing her all over again. My plan to make her jealous earlier was just a ploy to get her to admit she still wants me because I still want her. I’m pretty positive I’ll always want her. So now this has to be the best damn kiss two people ever shared in the history of kissing because I need her to want it again and again. Tension builds in my chest at the thought of finally kissing Layla Flaherty, and I’m a little afraid of screwing up her first kiss. But I owe it to her. It should’ve happened a long time ago.

 “Someone’s overthinking things,” she whispers against my lips, and I twitch with anticipation and nostalgia. It’s the exact phrase I used to use on her when she’d go off in her head. She remembers. Dammit, I’m losing control. I tighten my grip on her wrists and run my nose down her cheek. I place a soft kiss on her earlobe and feel her body sag forward as her legs buckle beneath her. Using my other arm to hold her around the waist and keep her vertical, I whisper,

“Here? Is this where you want me to kiss you?” Her breath comes in quick gasps, and she shakes her head no. So I let my lips skim the side of her face and holy hell, she even tastes like peaches. And I should definitely not be thinking about tasting her, but a torrent of images unleashes itself. I know I’m gripping her too hard, but she doesn’t complain. I press myself against her and place a chaste kiss on her cheek.

“Here?” I ask, doing my best to feign innocence.

 “Uh uh,” she groans, and I brush my face against hers until our lips are touching. 

“Here?” “Yes, please,” she says against my mouth, and I try to take it slow, I really do. But when her lips part, opening her to me, I’m done being gentle. My tongue sweeps inside, desperate for hers. She’s tentative at first. Barely skimming her tongue against mine with sweet little licks. But I press harder and she matches me. Layla lets her teeth graze my lower lip and I groan. I release her wrists and she wraps her arms around my neck, raking her hands into my hair. Keeping my hand out from under her short dress is an exercise in torture. My body aches for release, but this is her first kiss. We have to stop here. For now. .

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caisey Quinn is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series. She lives with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals in Birmingham, Alabama. She wears cowgirl boots most of the time, even to church. You can find her online at http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com or as @CaiseyQuinn on Twitter, where she spends entirely too much time chatting with readers, authors, and anyone who’s willing.

Blog Tour: Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry~ Review & Giveaway

Today, I have the blog tour, organized by Xpresso Book Tours, for Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry on the blog today. I am super excited to share my review and a giveaway with you!

To follow the rest of the tour, click on the tour banner above.

Waiting for the Storm

Author: Marie Landry

Publication Date: April 9, 2013

Genre: YA Contemporary

~Synopsis~

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved. 

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen?

~Prelude~

I am a huge fan of contemporary novels so when I read the synopsis for Waiting for the Storm, I knew I wanted to read this book and be a part of the blog tour. I am all about books that really draw you in and pull on the emotions and I knew that Waiting for the Storm would do that.

~Review~

I am a huge fan of contemporary novels so when I read the synopsis for Waiting for the Storm, I knew I wanted to read this book and be a part of the blog tour. I am all about books that really draw you in and pull on the emotions and I knew that Waiting for the Storm would do that.

I absolutely adored Charlotte. She was sweet, kind and very caring, especially for her family. She spent her entire senior year studying at home to be with her mom who was dying from brain cancer. She gave up a pivotal time in her life to be there for her mother and make her last days more comfortable and bearable. Charlotte was always a popular, outgoing extrovert but the year she spent shut in with her mom really changed her. After her mom’s death, she felt broken and lost because she didn’t know who she was anymore. A part of her was lost during that time and now she struggles to gain it back. My heart broke for her as she struggled to keep her family together after the death and it was so sad that she had to watch her dad fall apart. I also admired the way she handled her sister, Ella, who was a rotten little snatch to her.

“We were like a group of strangers rather than a family. Flesh and blood didn’t seem to mean anything anymore. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d eaten a meal together.”

Ezra is definitely a guy I could get on board with. He has his own losses and demons to deal with and I think he instantly felt this kindred spirit with Charlotte. He could sense her pain and loss and he was drawn to her. He was so sensitive and provided her with a shoulder to lean on and share her secrets and fears. I felt so sad for him when he revealed the pain and loss he had suffered to Charlotte and I wanted to wrap him in a hug.

“I wondered if it was possible for a person’s heart to actually jump out of their mouth. I laid my hand over my chest, feeling my heart banging like a jackhammer inside. Would I ever be able to figure out Ezra Rhodes?”

Charlotte and her dad promised her mom they would spend the summer at the beach house she went to as a kid and a week after her funeral, they head over there. They are all still raw from the loss of her and Charlotte can already see the effect it is having on her father. He has become withdrawn and distant and it is so hard for her to grieve when she feels like she needs to take care of him. It also doesn’t help that her sister is an ungrateful little bitch who tears her down every chance she gets. I loved when she tried to come onto Ezra in front of Charlotte and he totally shot her down. It definitely put a smile on my face.

“Ezra,” she said slowly, eyeing him like he was a big piece of man candy. “What a cool name. Where’d you get it?” “I’ve always had it,” he said, and I couldn’t help the snicker that rose to my lips.”

Meeting Ezra was exactly what Charlotte needed. He helped her process her grief and come back out of her shell. They fell for each other quickly and they had a whirlwind romance but it really worked for me because they both had something so powerful connecting them and it was easy to believe that they would latch onto each other for much needed companionship and support. He comforted her when she needed him the most and helped her gain the courage to reach out to her father and stand up to her sister. I loved that Charlotte didn’t give up on her family and she found a way to reach out and re-connect with her sister. Ella’s anger and hate was fueled by jealousy and I think she was using it as an outlet for the grief she held for her mother’s death.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I felt like the author really showcased the way that grief reaches to the depths of our souls and can change our lives in an instant. The book was really well written and I definitely felt connected to the story and characters.

~IPOD Picks~

“Breathe Me” by Sia

“Lovely” by Sara Haze
“Every Storm” by Gary Allen

AUTHOR BIO

Marie Landry is the author of BLUE SKY DAYS (contemporary YA—January 2012), UNDRESSED (a collection of short erotic romance stories—October 2012), THE GAME CHANGER (chick lit—November 2012), and WAITING FOR THE STORM (contemporary YA—April 2013). Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood, she’s had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, or having grand adventures with her two precious nephews. For more on Marie and her books, please visit marielandry.blogspot.ca or check out her book blog Ramblings of a Daydreamer (sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca).

Author links:

Website: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188180.Marie_Landry

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieLandryAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SweetMarie83

*An e-copy of this book was provided to me by the author and Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.*

Thanks Marie and Giselle!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers

Tone Deaf by Oliva Rivers

Genre: New Adult Romance

Age Group: 16+

Release Date: November 4^th, 2013

His world is music…

…Her world is silent.

Ali Blinde was a prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the 21^st century.

Until the brain tumor struck.

Now seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with ASL and lip-reading. So when she meets Jace Beckett, she thinks he’s her worst nightmare come true. Jace is the lead singer in the wildly-popular band, Tone Deaf, and he’s exactly the kind of success-story Ali hates and resents. 

Nineteen-year-old Jace has it all: fame, money, and any girl he wants. Every night on tour brings a new performance and a new girl, which is just what he needs to avoid the pain of relationships. 

But when Jace learns Ali is being abused, he reluctantly proposes a solution: Run away with him and his band as they tour the country. With freedom in sight, Ali takes the offer. Immediately, she’s swept into a world filled with wild punk music, wilder musicians, and maybe—just maybe—love. 

Author Bio:

Olivia Rivers is the author of six novels, ranging in genres from Epic Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. Along with being a writer, she’s a freelance digital artist, a literary agent assistant, and a high school student.  She’s a nerd at heart, and is a hopeless fan-girl for Doctor Who and Arrested Development. Olivia lives in California with a dog who thinks he’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and a kitten who is just generally confused.

Author Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonedeafanovel

Website/Blog: http://oliviarivers.blogspot.com/

Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Olivia-Rivers/e/B00AEU75IQ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiversOlivia

Release Day Launch: Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee~ Photo Teaser, Review & Giveaway

I am super excited to participate in the release day launch for Escaping me by Elizabeth Lee, organized by Inkslinger PR. I really enjoyed this book and am excited to share a photo teaser, my review and a giveaway today.

Escaping Me

Author: Elizabeth Lee

Publication Date: July 30, 2013

~Synopsis~

All she wanted to do was forget. Forget the memory of walking in on her boyfriend in the middle of, well, another girl. Forget how she had her entire life planned out. And, forget about being perfect all the time. Unfortunately, she was Whitney Vandaveer and despite the fact that she moved to the middle of nowhere – she couldn't.

He always knew he would never be more than nothing. No job, no money, no future. Cole Pritchett had accepted the fact that he would always be the screw up and he was okay with it. Until he met her.

Here's the thing they quickly found out – sometimes we all need a little help escaping who we think we are.

~Review~

Escaping me was a really exciting read. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride the entire time. Anything and everything that could go wrong did go wrong and it lasted to the bitter end. There were also a lot of high and happy times in this book as well. Hence the rollercoaster ride.

I liked Whitney. She had the potential to be a stuck up rich bitch but she wasn’t. She was really down to earth and just struggled to stand up for herself and be who she really was. She held herself to the standards that her father put on her and made her decisions based on these standards. When her dickhead boyfriend cheats on her, she goes to stay with her mom in the country and she is finally free to really find who she is. Spending time with her carefree mother and sister, along with meeting Cole, help her discover the real Whitney. I liked the way she opened up with Cole and became a more confident, self-assured woman. She didn’t hold anything back and she started to see herself as more than some rich guy’s future trophy wife. She thought of her own dreams and goals and she had Cole right there encouraging her the entire time.

“The gray t-shirt that is stretched across his back reads Wilson Lumber Yard with their catchy slogan underneath—“We Got Wood”. I fight back a giggle. At least someone has a sense of humor.”

Cole was a good guy and I really liked him. However, he had some real self-esteem issues in the beginning and his negativity towards himself got a little annoying. However, after meeting Whitney and having her treat him like he was worth something, he became more confident and less of a downer. He really grew as a character and the more time he spent with Whitney, the more he came out of his shell and started to see that he could be more than the fuck up he was always told he was.

“I know we don’t know each other well enough to be in love yet, but I can absolutely see mayself falling for this girl.”

Escaping Me has some really great side characters too. Zeke is funny and a really great new friend for Cole. He has his back and he gives some great advice to Cole when it comes to Whitney. I also really liked Mallory, Whitney’s sisters. She was a little fire-cracker and she stood behind Whitney no matter what. She had some drama of her own but she handled it like a pro and I loved the sisterly bond between her and Whit.

“Mallory’s batshit crazy and Zeke’s got a lead foot.”

When Cole & Whitney first meet, they have this attraction but recognize that they are very different and try to deny it. Actually, Cole tries to deny it and Whitney will do whatever she has to in order to spend more time with him. I loved the way she straight up took charge with Cole. This was completely out of character for her and it was fabulous. It certainly worked on Cole. I really enjoyed the way Cole was with Whitney and how gentlemanly he was. He wanted everything to be perfect with her and he strived to do this. You could see the way they brought out the better in each other as Cole became more confident and Whitney came out of her shell. Of course, everytime things were going great for them, something got in the way to push them back a little; Pretentious ex-boyfriends, psycho ex-girlfriends, over-bearing fathers. I have to admit that his book made me exasperated, but I liked it.

Overall, Escaping Me was a wonderful read and I found myself hooked to it from the beginning. I spent an entire Saturday morning reading this book and I didn’t want to put it down until the end. The author did an amazing job at keeping me on my toes and constantly guessing what will happen next and whether or not Cole and Whitney will have their happy ending.

~IPOD Picks~

“Cowboy Take Me Away” by Dixie Chicks

“Remind Me” by Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood

“I Won't Let Go” by Rascal Flatts

About Elizabeth Lee:

When I'm not writing or playing the part of wife and mother, you can find me dancing back-up for Beyonce, singing back-up for Miranda, or sunning myself on the beach with a drink in hand.  Here's the thing about being born and raised in a small town—you have a very vivid imagination!  Now, I channel it all to create stories where the girl always ends up with the right guy, first kisses are magical, and a happy ending is just that!

Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabethleewrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/elwrites

Website: http://elizabethleewrites.blogspot.com

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6542627.Elizabeth_Lee

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Exception by Patty Maximini

Exception by Patty Maximini 

  Expected release: October 24, 2013 

  Genre: Contemporary Romance 

  Age Group: Adult

  Cover designed by: Okay Creations   

  With her life packed in boxes in the back of a U-Haul truck and a promise to her sister, Charlotte, that she’d find a way to let go and be happy, Emily crossed the country to escape the haunting memories of her past. As she settles into her new life, Emily holds true to her promise and begins to open her walls to those around her and overtime, she selectively begins to trust again. However, some wounds are too great to overcome, and between her recurring nightmares and her fear of even the slightest physical contact, she wonders if she will ever heal completely. In walks Taylor, a handsome out of towner, with his own past to overcome. Against all odds, an undeniable special friendship forms almost instantly between the two. Not minding his company or touch, Emily is jolted into realization that he is her healing, her strength, her protection and her escape from her daunting past. He is her exception.

    

  About the Author 

I’m Patty, and words have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always loved to read them, write them and learn them in other languages. Last year, I’ve decided to take that passion and turn it into a book, the result was Exception, my very first novel due this October. Whenever I’m not sitting behind my computer, I’m either enjoying the company of my dear hubby, Alex, and our four four-legged babies or reading. I’m a firm believer in long hand written letters, love of any kind and good stories.

Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Wounded by Jasinda Wilder

Wounded

Author: Jasinda Wilder

Publication Date: December 16, 2012

~Synopsis~

War has taken everything from me. My family. My home. My innocence. In a country blasted by war and wracked by economic hardship, a young orphan girl like me has very few options when it comes to survival. Thus, I do what I must to live, to eat, and I try very hard to not consider the cost to my soul. My heart is empty, and my existence brutal. 

The one impossibility in my life is love.

And then I meet HIM.

War is hell. It takes a chunk out of a man's very soul to do the kinds of things war demands of you. You live with fear, you live with guilt, and you live with nightmares. If you haven't been through it, there's no understanding it. War leaves no room for love, no room for tenderness or softness. You gotta be hard, closed off, and ready to fight every moment of every day. Lose focus for a split second, and you're dead.

Now the only thing that can save me is HER.

~Prelude~

After reading Falling Into You, I became a Jasinda Wilder fangirl. Somehow she is able to write books that pull every emotion out of me. Wounded was no different. In fact the tone of this book was so intense that I felt it deep in my soul. This review may be a little scattered because I had so many feelings about this book but I’m not sure I know how to put it into words.

~Review~

Wounded was so emotionally intense, it was almost depressing. However, when I say it was depressing , I mean it in a very good way. I’m know that doesn’t make sense and I’m not sure how to describe it but it’s the tone of the book and the way it makes me feel. It was so sad and heartbreaking but I absolutely adored it.

“I have never needed anything but money for food and somewhere to sleep. Now, I need this man.”

Rania is probably the reason the tone of the book is so sad. She has lost everyone and everything and her country, Iraq, is rife with war and death and despair. At 14, she is forced to become someone she loathes and must do unspeakable things to survive. She creates Sabah, her alternate identity so she doesn’t lose herself in the job she must do to survive. Sabah is the whore who entertains clients and Iraqi soldiers for money. Rania is the innocent and reserved girl who has been alone for so long and never known love or compassion. My heart truly broke for her and her situation. When she meets Hunter, she has these unfamiliar feelings that she can’t explain and they terrify her. She has been empty for so long.

“My heart aches, throbs, not from a hollowness this time or from pain, but with an odd, terrifying fullness.”

Hunter is a soldier who is almost done with his second tour in Iraq but has no place and no one to go back to when he gets done. When he is injured in the line of fire, Rania rescues him and takes him back to her home. He quickly learns what Rania does but he never judges her. Hunter is this sweet and amazing guy. He sees Rania for who she is and not as Sabah. He never judges her and he feels this overwhelming desire to protect her. I loved the kindness and compassion that he showed her.

“The way she gets under my skin, the way my heart hammers when she looks at me, touches me, the way I want so desperately for her to just sit and talk to me… it would be emotional if anything happened.”

The love that blossoms between Rania and Hunter was so beautiful. They are two people from two different worlds but they understood each other. They were both searching for something to fill the emptiness inside and little did they know that the something they were looking for was each other. Hunter saw the real Rania and the more time he spent with her the more he fell in love. He wanted to give her what she was missing and show her that she was worth more than she thought she was. Rania never thought she could find love or feel the way she did about Hunter. He opened her up and showed her that not all men want to just use her body. She was confused by the lust and hunger she saw in his eyes but his refusal to take her body. She had never known such restraint and kindness from a man. As she healed Hunter physically, she was unknowingly healing him emotionally too and he was doing the same for her.

“I love her more, and more, and I wonder how much I might love her in ten or twenty years. I try to imagine it, and my head spins.”

This book started out so sad and heartbreaking but ended on a very happy note. I went through so many emotions as I read this book. The writing was fabulous and the plot was like nothing I have read before. My husband is from Uzbekistan and we met in college when he was an exchange student so the “cultural clash” love really hit home for me. It is in no way the same situation but I understand the confusion that they felt as they fell in love. Hunter and Rania had been emotionally wounded when they met but they were able to save each other.

 ~IPOD Picks~

"I'm With You" by Avril Lavigne

"Tomorrow" by Chris Young

Promotional Event: Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino~Excerpt & Giveaway

Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Age Group:  New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Sweet Thing will also be on sale for $2.99 from July 24th to August 2nd

~Synopsis~

 A USA TODAY bestseller, Sweet Thing tells the story of Mia Kelly, a twenty-five-year-old walking Gap ad who thinks she has life figured out when her father’s sudden death uproots her from slow-paced Ann Arbor to New York City’s bustling East Village. There she discovers her father’s spirit for life and the legacy he left behind with the help of an old café, a few eccentric friends, and one charming musician.

Will Ryan is good-looking, poetic, spontaneous, and on the brink of fame when he meets Mia, his new landlord, muse, and personal heartbreaker.

A story of self-discovery and friendship, Sweet Thing shines light on the power of loving and letting go.

 ~Excerpt~

Rushing onto the plane, I looked down the aisle and spotted my seat right away. And then I saw her. I saw her…She appeared to be sleeping; she had ear buds in and a travel pillow around her neck. Right before I approached, she glanced up at me and that’s when I blurted out, “Hey!” I paused, searching for words as I stared directly into her eyes, her really gorgeous eyes, the kind you just want to dive into and swim around in. “Do you want the window seat? It’s all yours if you do.”

She scowled. “Huh? Uh, no thanks.”

I think I pissed her off. Man, this girl was cute, pretty, no… beautiful. She had a bunch of silky, dark hair wrapped in a bun on top of her head. I never get nervous around women, but in that moment I was more nervous than I had been in my entire life.

“I’m a terrible flier,” I told her. “Please, I need to be in the aisle. I’m sorry, do you mind? I’m Will, by the way…”

She stood abruptly and grabbed her things. Without making eye contact, she stuck her hand up and mumbled, “Yeah, fine, you can sit there. I’m Mia.”

  Rearranging the overhead compartment, I startled her when I threw her bag on my seat. She looked up at me. Man, those eyes.

“Sorry, baby, I’ve got to make room for her.” She shrugged and pretended to ignore me, but seconds later I caught her staring at me out of the corner of her eye. I was totally getting to her.

I plopped down in my seat, looked over at her, and smiled. My eyes were immediately drawn to her blushing mouth with its naturally pink, pudgy little bottom lip. I wanted to suck on that lip.

“Why didn’t you request an aisle seat?”

“Well, you see, sweetheart, I like to be right behind the emergency exit. I’ll hop over this seat, jump out the door, and be down that super slide in a split second.”

“Then why not request the exit aisle?”

“I am not the person for that job, trust me.”

“Damn, chivalry is dead. It doesn’t matter anyway; our lives are in the hands of these hopefully sober pilots and this nine-hundred-thousand-pound hunk of metal, so…”

“Can we stop talking about this? I don’t think you understand.” I didn’t want to shut her down, the banter was refreshing. Plus, I love girls with brains and a backbone, but my nerves were getting to me. I took out the rosary I’d bought in the gift shop started to peel the price tag off it. She continued needling me with her melodic little voice. It was hard to concentrate on what she was saying because I was mesmerized by her, completely enchanted by the way she smelled, her eyes, and man, those lips.

After chuckling at another one of her digs, I finally turned toward her and whispered, “Hey, little firecracker, you like taunting me, don’t you?”

“Sorry,” she mumbled. I winked at her and watched her reaction. She sucked in a breath, making the tiniest sound, and then swallowed and looked away, but not before her eyes trailed down my entire body and back up.

While I was memorizing the safety procedures, the pilot scared the shit out of me when he came on the speaker to announce that we were cleared for takeoff.

“Jesus Christ! Did he sound drunk to you?”

With a look of sympathy, Mia turned toward me and in the calmest voice said, “Not at all. Relax, buddy, everything will be fine and you should probably tone down the Jesus Christs, at least while you’re still wearing that thing.”

I asked her to open the screen so I could see us get off the ground and then I leaned over and inhaled deeply. She smelled so clean.

“You smell good,” I told her. “Like rain.” She blushed again and then asked me about my guitar. She knew something about guitars, I could tell. When the plane started to take off, I gripped the armrest. She put her hand over mine and just held it there while we continued our conversation. The warmth of her hand was calming. When I would tighten my grip, she would tighten hers. I think it was subconscious. I’m sure she didn’t notice she was doing it, but she comforted me.

When she mentioned that her father had just passed away, her eyes started to well up. I took my other hand and put it on top of hers. I think that was first moment she realized where her hand had been because she yanked it away and wiped her eyes. I immediately apologized for her loss.

“It’s okay, but I’d rather not talk about it right now. Let’s talk about guitars.” She had this really sweet, genuine, but totally pained, look on her face. It was like she was trying to be strong and hide the hurt, but her expressive eyes and face made that impossible.

We talked the whole length of the flight and I just kept thinking that I had to know this girl. I needed to be in her life, but I could tell she was going through something, so I tried to keep it light.

As we started to descend, I panicked at the thought that we could walk off this plane and never see each other again.

“Mia, we’re going down. I need to know everything about you right now! How old are you, what’s your last name, what street do you live on? If we make it out of this, I think we should jam together, you know, musically or whatever.”

“My last name is Kelly, I’ll be at my father’s café most days—Kell’s on Avenue A. Come and have a coffee with me sometime and we’ll talk music. Oh, and I’m twenty- five.”

It seemed like we had so much in common. I couldn’t believe my luck getting to sit next to her. She was beautiful, but in the humble way, not insecure, humble. She was smart and funny and sarcastic and witty and she loved music, but on top of that she was gentle. She wanted to comfort me, even if she didn’t realize she wanted to, and that’s what she’d done. Maybe it was fate that I sat next to her that day, or serendipity, divine intervention, who knows? However you look at, I got seated next to the first girl to ever really steal my heart. I was in love from that moment on. I knew Mia, with all her grief, sensitivity, and depth would be a challenge, but that made me want her even more.

I lowered my voice. “We both have double first names. I’m Will Ryan, twenty- nine. I live at 22 Mott Street in the storage closet. I work at the Montosh. I’m O negative, you know, the universal one, and I play in a band called the Ivans. Oh, and I love coffee. It was nice to meet you, Mia.”

“It was nice to meet you too,” she said.

“We made it,” I told her. “You know, they say people who have stared death in the face together are bonded for life?”

She giggled. “Your antics are cute, Will.”

“I was going for irresistible,” I said and then I watched her stumble and nervously grab her things. I walked behind her, up the aisle toward the exit. Some dickwad practically knocked her over when he tried to cut into the line. “Hey! Watch it, buddy!” When Mia turned and shot me the cutest smile, I said, “See, baby, chivalry isn’t dead.”

I followed her all the way out to the curb. She didn’t turn around once as she waited for a cab. I lit a cigarette, looked up to the sky, and prayed. Right as her taxi began to pull away from the curb, she glanced over at me. I waved really big and mouthed, “Goodbye, Mia, you Sweet Thing.”

At that moment I wanted so badly to call Dick Payne and tell him about the flight. I wanted to tell him I didn’t think about dying once… All I thought about was living.

Amazon 

Barnes&Noble 

Kobo 

Apple iTunes 

What reviewers are saying about Sweet Thing. . .

Maryse's Book Blog - "It gave me every emotion and in just the right amount. My perfect read. . . 5 stars PLUS!!!!"

Jelena's Book Blog - "Her writing style is so fresh, the tone, the dialogue, the plot, the characters.... everything... just everything was marvelous she is definitely an author to watch out for."

A Love Affair With Books - "If you are looking for a new author, a new read or might want a bit of a cry, I highly recommend SWEET THING"

Book Addicts - "This book made me FEEL; it made me yearn for a happily ever after."

The SUBCLUB Books - "I was hooked and hanging on every word from the Prologue all the way to the Epilogue, I had a hard time steering my eyes away from the story it had a fierce grasp on me and I happily obliged to ride the journey alongside the characters."

Shh Moms Reading - "This is 5 HUGE stars ~ a soul searing beautifully written book that now owns a piece of my heart."

About the Author

Renee’s first friends were the imaginary kind and even though her characters haven’t gone away, thankfully the delusions have. She admits she’s a wildly hopeless romantic and she blames 80’s movies staring Molly Ringwald for that. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on the next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.

Author social media links:

Website: www.reneecarlino.com

Twitter: @renayz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorReneeCarlino

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6994731.Renee_Carlino

a Rafflecopter giveaway