YA Romance

Dangerous Love: GIRL ON THE BRINK–Review and Giveaway!

girl-on-the-brink-tour-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary YA romance with a dark storyline from . GIRL ON THE BRINK deals honestly with domestic abuse for a teen girl experiencing her first relationship.

Catch my review and enter below to win a $10 GC in the giveaway!

girl-brinkAbout the book:
The summer before senior year, 17-year-old Chloe starts an internship as a reporter at a local newspaper. While on assignment, she meets Kieran, a quirky aspiring actor. Chloe becomes smitten with Kieran’s charisma and his ability to soothe her soul, torn over her parents’ impending divorce. But as their bond deepens, Kieran becomes smothering and flies into terrifying rages. He confides in Chloe that he suffered a traumatic childhood, and Chloe is moved to help him. If only he could be healed, she thinks, their relationship would be perfect.

But her efforts backfire and Kieran becomes violent. Chloe breaks up with him, but Kieran pursues her relentlessly to make up. Chloe must make the heartrending choice between saving herself or saving Kieran, until Kieran’s mission of remorse turns into a quest for revenge.

Advance Praise:
“An engrossing tale of a dangerous teen romance.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Girl on the Brink is a must have for every high school and public library.” – Isabelle Kane, Wisconsin high school librarian

ABOUT TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
Abusive relationships are widespread, cutting across socioeconomic, racial and ethnic, religious and gender preference lines. One in three high school girls experience dating violence, while more than half of college-aged women reported experiencing controlling behavior in a relationship. Eighty-nine percent of female college students said they were unable to recognize the signs of an abusive relationship, and a third of teens involved in intimate partner violence ever told anyone about it.

For more information, please head to Break The Cycle.

My Review:
Soon-to-be high school senior Chloe is a girl who’s world is in flux. Her father recently moved out of their New Jersey home to live with his girlfriend in Manhattan. Her mother’s depressed, alternately taking anti-anxiety meds or alcohol to cope with her sudden heartbreak. Chloe’s brother is away at summer camp, as is her best friend. It’s a virtually empty home, and it’s unsettling. Even if her mom’s there, she’s withdrawn or asleep.

Chloe has an internship at her town’s weekly newspaper, and she meets Kieran while out doing an interview for the paper. He’s two years older and seems engaging and charming. He sympathizes about her family issues, confessing his own youthful trauma, and they bond quickly. Also, Kieran isn’t like other boys who seem to only want sex. He woos her with dates and conversation, shares his grand dreams to become an actor and makes Chloe feel wanted and loved at a time where she’s feeling lonely and abandoned by family.

Soon, however, Chloe begins to notice that Kieran is constantly shielding her from her friends, and he’s cajoling her into doing what he wants all the time. He’s attentive in a way that’s becoming problematic–stalking her physically or via phone calls at work. Whenever Chloe attempts to assert herself, or her independence he’s right there, convincing her how much he loves her, and how they really fit together emotionally. They are physical with each other, and Chloe believes Kieran’s “truth,” but it gets difficult to manage his mood swings. He’s erratic, and jealous, and gets angry quickly, followed by dramatic apologies and presents.

Each time Chloe recognizes that Kieran’s love for her is obsessive, he convinces her to make more and more sacrifices for his wishes. She has so few ties at this point, that his sabotage easily severs her flailing friendships. All along there’s been small instances of physical abuse, beginning with intimidation and escalating into pushes, shoves and one harrowing weekend where Kieran essentially keeps Chloe prisoner in her own home.

It’s then that Chloe finally reaches out. Her mother’s able to be responsive, and act as an advocate, though the problems haven’t ended. I liked the story, and felt like it was an important one to tell. Also, it’s written in an accessible way, seeing how slowly domestic violence can creep into a relationship. Chloe is a good student, and good kid. Her family is middle class, and her friends are normal. She’s an Everyday gal, who can’t comprehend the danger she’s in until she’s literally running for help.

Part and parcel with Chloe’s situation is her embarrassment that she could be dating an abuser. She often wonders how she could have been foolish enough to fall for Kieran, but she also misses the way he made her feel cherished and loved. He’s two people in her mind: Sweet Kieran and Mean Kieran, which is a common experience for abuse victims. There’s a lot of honest self-reflection in the story, and guides the reader to understand the underpinning signs of abuse, and emotional manipulation. Chloe’s lucky that she was able to get help when she did, but she makes further (common) mistakes in how she shuts Kieran down. People wonder why women don’t report abuse, or why they allow their abusers to return–some of this complicated cycle is very plainly demonstrated in the book, and that’s a powerful object lesson for younger readers, in particular.

Interested? You can find GIRL ON THE BRINK on Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo.

***GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

christinahoagauthorheadshotAbout the Author
Christina Hoag is the author of Girl on the Brink, a romantic thriller for young adults (Fire and Ice YA/Melange Books, August 2016) and Skin of Tattoos, a literary thriller set in L.A.’s gang underworld (Martin Brown Publishing, September 2016). She is a former reporter for the Associated Press and Miami Herald and worked as a correspondent in Latin America writing for major media outlets including Time, Business Week, Financial Times, the Houston Chronicle and The New York Times. She is the co-author of Peace in the Hood: Working with Gang Members to End the Violence, a groundbreaking book on gang intervention (Turner Publishing, 2014). She resides in Los Angeles.

Catch up with Christina on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Map of Love: HERE’S THE THING–Review and Giveaway!

heres-the-thing-tour-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a sweet contemporary YA F/F romance from Emily O’Bierne. HERE’S THE THING is a straight-talking story of a sixteen year old girl who’s trying to make sense of her love life. And semi-failing at it.

It comes out October 19th, but you can get all the info now, and pre-order it below. Check out the excerpt and e-book giveaway below.

heresthething-coverAbout the book:
It’s only for a year. That’s what sixteen-year-old Zel keeps telling herself after moving to Sydney for her dad’s work. She’ll just wait it out until she gets back to New York and Prim, her epic crush/best friend, and the unfinished subway project. Even if Prim hasn’t spoken to her since that day on Coney Island.

But Zel soon finds life in Sydney won’t let her hide. There’s her art teacher, who keeps forcing her to dig deeper. There’s the band of sweet, strange misfits her cousin has forced her to join for a Drama project. And then there’s the curiosity that is the always-late Stella.

As she waits for Prim to explain her radio silence and she begins to forge new friendships, Zel feels strung between two worlds. Finally, she must figure out how to move on while leaving no one behind.\

How about a taste?

As soon as she hears the words “New York”, the blonde princess perks up.

“You actually lived there?” Her voice is still measured, but I can hear the hint of intrigue. Suddenly I’m worth something. She straightens her blazer, looking curious and a touch self-conscious. Like the mention of that city has chafed at the all-comforting sense of superiority she held a second ago when she sized up my loose-haired, loose-jeaned, couldn’t-give-a-crap eyeliner look. Now her perfectly braided hair, subtle eye make-up, and her prefect’s badge don’t stand a chance against me (well, New York). It’s like she suddenly feels like the boring provincial cliché she is.

Please don’t think I’m a bitch, describing this girl like that. I’m not a bitch. Really, I’m not. It’s just that you weren’t here ten minutes ago. I swear it was surreal. She was nice as pie when Mum was here, making small talk, telling us about the school excursions and clubs and extra university prep courses they offer. Then, the minute Mum went in to chat with the senior school coordinator, she went on this total backspin from perky polite to general disinterest. All before the office door even closed.

Of course, that was before I uttered the four, golden ‘lived in New York’ words. Now she’s all ears.

So excuse me for judging, but you have to admit it’s kind of deeply shallow on her part. Like something out of a bad teen movie. She’s one of those popular girls, all shiny and judge-y and awaiting her comeuppance, the one who underestimates the new girl at the start. This, of course, casts me as the nerdy but likeable girl. The one who’ll either seek revenge on all the high-definition girls like this evenly tanned overachiever next to me or else become wildly popular by getting a makeover from a gay man, making some excellent quips, and then dating from the girl-clique’s private male gene pool property.

Believe me, people, when I say that NONE of this is going to happen. What will happen, if Mum and Dad magically convince me go to this school, is that I will put my head down and stay as invisible as humanly possible. Because if she is a taster of the school social menu, I plan to officially bow out of all interpersonal efforts.

We’ve already taken the full tour of the school and grounds, led by the blonde, in chirruping prefect mode, and the principal’s assistant. Apparently this school’s so exclusive that potential Golden Ones don’t even get to meet the principal until they’re properly signed on, fees paid. Together they schooled Mum in everything this place has to offer. Because she’ll be the one paying the fees for the Olympic swimming pool and the sky-lit art rooms, right? And while I dragged my feet behind them, I didn’t get a chance to find out if all the other students are carbon, depressing copies of this one either. All the girls (yes, only girls, which you would think would make me happy but it actually doesn’t) were tucked away in the classrooms. But my guess is, given the North Shore location and the amount of zeroes I saw on the fees list, that this sample of blonde wayyy-upper-middle-class Sydney sitting right here is probably representative enough for me to turn and run for the hills. Or at least back to the inner west.

“Like, New York, New York? Not the state,” the girl asks, wrinkling her nose slightly as if she can’t imagine that hallowed city allowing rabble like me in. Which, of course, shows how little she knows about the place. If she thinks I’m rabble, she’s got another thing coming when she and her fake designer suitcase finally make it there. If New York knows how to do anything, it’s how to produce prime rabble. It prides itself on it.

“Yes, the city,” I say patiently instead of sighing the sigh of the withering, which is what I really want to do. If I were Prim, I probably would have. I’m the kind of person who can manage to stay on the right side of polite, but Prim’s got zero tolerance for girls like this. But then, Prim’s got zero tolerance for most people. “We lived in Midtown.”

The girl looks blank.

“It’s the middle of Manhattan, near Times Square,” I explain as two girls in uniform, looking just like this one but brunette and sans prefect badge, peer into the office. One says something, and the other cackles as they pass. I shudder. Get me out of here. Now.

Blondie perks up some more. “That’s where they have the New Year’s parade?”

I nod.

“Did you go?”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. I wouldn’t be caught dead there, fighting for a square inch of space with a gazillion tourists and out-of-towners. The parade is what television is made for. It’s for parents and old people and the rest of America to watch while New York goes out. Prim and I had planned to spend New Year’s Eve planning our New World Order. I don’t have time to fill you in on the details right now, but let me tell you this much—this girl here would have trouble surviving once we run the show.

Before I can respond, Mum is finally ejected from the coordinator’s office. I’m so relieved to see her I have to stop myself from jumping up and hugging her. She gives me a thin smile like she, too, has been to private school hell and back.

The coordinator is right behind her. She’s a shaggy middle-aged woman wearing a pastel sweater dress straight out of the eighties. Now I really feel sorry for Mum. Ten minutes in the presence of that outfit is probably pushing at the edges of human endurance.

“I hope to see you next week, Zelda,” the coordinator says to me. “Meaghan will show you back to the gate, won’t you?”

Blondie McPerfect nods enthusiastically and leads us back to the car park full of shiny land cruisers and zippy hatchbacks. She chatters all the way, practically igniting with excitement when she hears Mum’s line of work. I smirk to myself. It must be killing her that two such unimpressive-looking people’s life CVs are impressing her so much.

I tune out and watch the school go by. The playing fields are movie-set green, the sprinklers keeping the summer sun from doing its worst. That’d be right. Last night’s news said parts of the Blue Mountains are ablaze with bushfires, but North Sydney is lush.

As soon as Meaghan leaves us with a wave and a faux-friendly see you next week, I turn to Mum. “I’m not going here. No way.”

My Review:

Zelda is a sixteen year old girl in turmoil. She’s a native Aussie who’s just returned to Australia after 10 months in NYC, where she’s befriended Prim, a beautiful, caustic girl who is the object of Zel’s affection. Their parting was less-that-optimal, and Zel’s afraid that Prim hates her. Plus, she must adjust to life in Sydney, and a new school. Again.

Zel’s a good girl, and she gets along with her parents. She has no friction regarding her lesbian sexuality, but she struggles to find appropriate targets for her crushes. It’s a find line between friendship and more, she comes to realize, and she doesn’t want to make the mistake she did with Prim.

She follows her cousin Antony’s lead and takes Drama, though Zel’s terrified of performing in front of an audience. In the class she meets Michael, Ashani and Stella, and they are all mates for the big performance production they have to script for the class project. Meanwhile, Zel works hard at her photography for Art class, the project there involving developing the many rolls of flim she used to capture subway rides and exploration days with Prim, back in NYC. See, they planned to ride each line to its end, and then see where that took them. There were only three lines left after Zel made her fateful mistake, and Prim didn’t see her again before she moved.

Working with her partners is a challenge, but it becomes something really special, particularly the political action part of the performance. Zel’s captivated by the challenges of refugees living in detention colonies, and how their sense of home is skewed from that of a citizen. Stella and Zel become close as their project winds on, and it’s sweet to see how Zel misses most of the signs that Stella finds her attractive. Still, Zel needs to let go of her fascination with Prim, and that happens eventually, and in a way that was really tender.

I liked this YA romance because it really felt grounded in real life. There are no over-the-top grand gestures. Just ordinary kids muddling through and making emotional messes of themselves, before sweeping up the pieces and making it all work out. All the characters felt solid and present, and I enjoyed the by-plays and ‘drama’ of all the class drama.  Don’t expect any homophobia or tension regarding sexuality; these characters have solid support networks and courteous friends. Zel’s parents adore her, and the feeling is mutual.

I also loved the attention to setting. Zel explores her new Sydney digs, as well as relates her New York explorations via flashback. I was really taken by the sweet vignettes of each locale and Zel’s comparisons between them–and also her more sedate former home in Canberra. I felt transported via plane and subway to many places I’ve never been and others–like Coney Island–which I’ve visited, which is a big plus for me, as a reader. In short, it’s a solid read, with the appropriate level of teen angst, and some sweet tenderness at the very end. It’s an innocent book, with just a bit of kissing on the page.

Interested? You can find HERE’S THE THING on Goodreads, and pre-order it in advance of its 10/19/16 release on Ylva.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win one of 10 e-books of HERE’S THE THING.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Thirteen-year-old Emily O’Beirne woke up one morning with a sudden itch to write her first novel. All day, she sat through her classes, feverishly scribbling away (her rare silence probably a cherished respite for her teachers). And by the time the last bell rang, she had penned fifteen handwritten pages of angsty drivel, replete with blood-red sunsets, moody saxophone music playing somewhere far off in the night, and abandoned whiskey bottles rolling across tables.

Needless to say, that singular literary accomplishment is buried in a box somewhere, ready for her later amusement. From Melbourne, Australia, Emily was recently granted her PhD. She works part-time in academia, where she hates marking papers but loves working with her students. She also loves where she lives but travels as much as possible and tends to harbour crushes on cities more than on people.

Living in an apartment, Emily sadly does not possess her dream writing room overlooking an idyllic garden of her creation. Instead, she spends a lot of her time staring over the screen of her laptop and out the window at the somewhat less pretty (but highly entertaining) combined kebab stand/carwash across the road.

Catch up with Emily online on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.
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Big Problems For GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE–A Review

Hi there! I’m so excited to share a review for a newly published contemporary YA romance from Paula Stokes. GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE s a bittersweet contemporary YA adventure/romance that deals with PTSD, OCD, and general anxiety in a teen girl who’s survived some pretty tragic moments.

Girl Against the UniverseAbout the book:
Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.

My Review:
Maguire was eleven when the car she rode in went off a mountainside and her father, uncle and brother were all killed. She was twelve when she rode a rollercoaster that went off the track, seriously injuring all 19 other passengers beside herself. She was thirteen when she went to a slumber party where every other guest ended up with gut-clenching illness. And six weeks ago, her abandoned candle burned down the neighbors’ house. Maguire believes that she’s Really Bad Luck, and she has a notebook filled with instances and coincidences that back up this claim.

Now sixteen and living in her third house in the past four years, preparing to enter her second high school, Maguire wishes she could just be home-schooled. She doesn’t want to make any friends, and potentially be responsible for any of them getting hurt, or worse.  Worried about Maguire, her mother insists that she attend therapy, and this is where the book opens, in a therapy session between Maguire and Dr. Leed. When the hour is up, Maguire notices the tall, attractive boy who enters the office in her stead. This boy, Jordy, reaches out to prickly, unapproachable Maguire as part of his own “homework” for therapy. And, they sort of hit it off. Maguire learns that Jory is semi-famous, but none of that seems to matter and Jordy appreciates that.

Inspired by Jordy, and knowing that she needs to get over her many phobias if she’s going to fly to Ireland with her mother for a five year memorial for her father, uncle and brother, Maguire actually begins to engage in her therapy. She’s terrified of riding in cars with people, using public transit, being out in public, going to parties, and has terrors imagining a bus ride, let alone a trans-Atlantic flight. So, with Dr. Leed’s help, Maguire sets her own list of “homework” so that she can reclaim her life and defeat the sinister powers of the Universe that have ripped so much from her.

Along the way, Maguire joins her high school tennis team, where she makes real friends for the first time in years. She also connects with Jordy, who is happy to help Maguire in any way he can–even if it means crossing his parents. See, Jordy IS a big deal; he’s a tennis wunderkind all set to go pro, if he can finish high school and stand up against his parent’s plans for college. And, maybe, he and Maguire may become more than friends…

This is a bittersweet read, because Maguire is a kid trapped by tragedy. She has a loving mother, step-father and new step siblings, but she dwells in the past. She’s terrified of her own mystique:  believing that she’s cursed. By really engaging with her therapy, and investigating the truth of her situation, Maguire learns to overcome her anxiety, by reasonable measured steps and slowly escalating “risk.” It was an affirming story, that realistically demonstrated how a kid struggling with several mental issues could overcome her fears by challenging herself in safe ways. I really liked that there weren’t a ton of catty gals, or hecklers. I liked that Jordy was a stand-up guy, and that he never gave up on Maguire, even when she did hurt him, succumbing to her fears when he needed her most. Maguire’s self-discovery wasn’t all forward motion, which was also reasonable. She had backward steps and tough choices. She cried, and she healed, and she fretted, but she made it all happen. It takes courage to go on, and survivor’s guilt was also likely a big factor in Maguire’s self-isolation.

I really dug the whole arcane “luck” charms that Maguire built into a ritual, not for herself, but because she wanted to ensure the safety of those around her. It’s rather ironic that she never wanted herself to be safe; she expected her bad luck really only affected those around her. Jordy was a great guy, and I liked how down-to-Earth he was. He’s got a bright and shiny future all laid out, but agonizes about his people-pleasing tendencies, and the high likelihood of failing to set proper boundaries. These were reasonable issues for an athlete of his caliber, and his pathway through therapy was also interesting.

For a teen romance, this was really tame with only a few kisses, some dithering regarding embarking on an official relationship v. secretly dating. Those issues held real relevance for Jordy, as approached legal adulthood and struggled to assert his autonomy over that of his parents’ wishes. In total, the book was a clean read with plenty of morbid reminiscences and a healthy portrayal of mild mental illness, teen relationships, and healing.

I’d wish Maguire luck, but I think she’s learned that she makes her own.

Interested? You can find GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Book Depository, and IndieBound.

About the Author:
Paula Stokes is half writer, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the world of YA literature. She started out writing historical fiction under a pen name and is now branching out into other YA genres.

When she’s not working (rare), she’s kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She’s petted tigers, snuggled snakes, snorkeled with stingrays, and once enjoyed the suction-cuppy feel of a baby elephant’s trunk as it ate peanuts from her palm. Her future goals include diving with Great White sharks, learning Krav Maga, and writing a whole slew of novels, not necessarily in that order.

You can catch up with Paula on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Bitterness and Lies Between JUST FRIENDS–A Review

just-friends-blitz-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a dark contemporary YA romance form best-selling author Monica Murphy. JUST FRIENDS explores the dynamics between several high school seniors, and how their friendships are altered by sex.

just-friends-coverAbout the book:
It’s the end of summer. Just before I start senior year with my two best friends in the whole world. Dustin and Emily are everything to me. We’ve been inseparable since middle school, and when we’re together, nothing can go wrong.

But things aren’t always what they seem. Em’s turned into a drunken mess who parties too much. Dustin and I have hooked up a few times—and now he’s ready to take our relationship to the next level. Yet I’m not sure I want things to change. I’m scared if I take it any further with Dustin, our friendship will be ruined forever. Then there’s Ryan. The new guy. He’s hot. He flirts way too much. And Em has totally set her sights on him.

So when my best friend betrays me in the worst possible way, guess who’s there to help me pick up the pieces of my broken heart? Ryan. But he’s so confusing. Annoying. Sweet. Sexy. I want to trust him, yet he makes it so hard. What I really want is for everything to go back to the way it was before.

Before I found out that best friends make the worst kind of enemies.

My Review:
This is a rather dark contemporary YA romance that features a lot of manipulation, fair amounts of drugs and alcohol, and some sex on the page between high school seniors.

Olivia, Dustin and Emily are three best friends growing up in an upscale California town. Olivia and Dustin had been having a casual physical relationship that Dustin wants to escalate, but Olivia’s worried it’ll upset Em. Also, Olivia is conflicted regarding Dustin. She loves him, but isn’t sure if she can really date him. She leaves for an extended summer visit in Oregon with her father. Over the weeks Olivia’s gone lots of changes happen between Em and Dustin, and Em in particular. She begins drinking more heavily, and invites over more popular kids to party at her house while her parents leave her unattended for days on end. There is lots of getting high, and getting wasted and getting horizontal–especially for Em and new boy Ryan.

Ryan’s made it clear: he only wants Em for a casual hook-up, and has no real feelings for her. He’s not the only boy Em hooks up with, though, and the revelations send shock waves through what seemed an unshakeable friendship between Em, Olivia and Dustin. I think this part was really easy to relate to, as betrayal is a touchstone emotion. I must say that the guys in this book are so ridiculous. It’s as if they are all running a bizarre sexual Catch-22, where the more a girl gives, the less they desire her–and that felt cruel. The Just Friends distinction was openly false, with some people pretending to “use” their users. I seriously wanted to smack some people, maybe everyone. There’s back-biting, and cat-fighting and actual fighting, though it’s not always front-and-center. Em’s jealous that not only Dustin, but Ryan, seem to want Olivia, and it’s rough to experience how they all fall apart over he said/she said and these false distinctions regarding attacment and attraction. That was unfortunately terrifyingly believable, those little digs and cuts people make to hurt those with whom they are closest, and really brought home the subtle slut shaming that is just as pervasive as open slut-shaming.

Ryan is the ultimate player, and he doesn’t mind twisting any situation to his advantage. He seems a consummate narcissist, and he wants Olivia. Because reasons. Is he playing her to get Em to give up more? Or is he jsut flirting? Or, does he want to build a real relationship? None of this seems clear to Olivia, who is rightfully suspicious and cautious. Ryan sees no problems with the way he’s treated other girls, notably Em, and I get that he feels blameless there, but it’s a hollow sort of acceptance for the reader. In general, I didn’t like Ryan, and never found an affinity for him. I had a real intuition that he’d play Olivia, and while it doesn’t seem that happens, the book ends with a set-up for a sequel. So, heartache may still loom.

The book is rife with drama and angst, as Olivia unwinds her feelings for Em, Dustin, and Ryan. Plus, she’s got a creepy dude dating her mom who seems to be a developing problem. I’m encouraged that Olivia’s new friend, Amanda, will be a bigger part of the next book, as she seemed like a nice girl and one I’d like to see have a real love. I’m not so sure I’m interested in Olivia’s life, except as one stands by, horrified, watching a train wreck unfold in slow motion. Gonna be lots of collateral damage, I’m sure.

Interested? You can find JUST FRIENDS on Goodreads, Amazon (US, UK, Can, and Aus), Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

About the Author:
Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is a traditionally published author with Bantam/Random House and Harper Collins/Avon, as well as an independently published author. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance. She is also USA Today bestselling romance author Karen Erickson.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives with her family in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere, along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through many angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Catch up With Monica here:

Website│Twitter│Facebook│Goodreads│Pinterest│Instagram

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Falling Right INTO YOU–Review & Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a YA/New Adult M/M romance from Jay Northcote. INTO YOU is a sweet–and a little sexy–enemies-to-lovers “body swap” story that puts two former best friends on the right path.

intoyouAbout the book:
What do you do when the body you wake up in isn’t yours?

Olly and Scott promised to be best friends forever. They grew up on the same street, went to the same school, and did everything together. But one hot summer night, teenage experimentation caused hurt feelings and confusion, and their friendship was destroyed.

Four years later they’re both eighteen years old and in their final term at school. Scott is a football star and Olly’s preparing for a main role in the school play. After a heated argument in the street—witnessed by their mysterious, elderly neighbour—they wake up the next morning stuck in each other’s bodies.

With no idea how to get back to normal, they have to co-operate in order to hide their secret. Spending time together rekindles their friendship, yet feelings run deeper for both of them. With the end of school fast approaching, the clock is ticking. Unless they discover how to change back, they could be stuck in the wrong bodies forever.

My Review:
This is an upper YA/New Adult type of read which features two 18 yo boys who finally experience a real love.

Olly and Scott were best mates from the ages of 9-14. Then there was a kiss. And, their friendship dissolved. Olly admitted he was gay, and Scott would never admit to such a thing, not with his extremely homophobic father pressuring him to keep away for Olly.

Now, they are 18, and finishing their A-levels (think: senior year in high school here in the US). The pressure is on, and their coming exams will determine which uni they’ll attend. When Scott takes a bad turn and injures Olly by mistake, their animosity is exposed out on the street. Miss Wychwood, odd neighbor to Olly, takes a particular interest in the melee, and it’s not long before Olly and Scott have their lives turned upside down. Olly wakes inside of Scott, and Scott is trapped in Olly’s body.

It’s a body swap! I’ve loved this trope since the original Parent Trap (with Hayley Mills!!) and I really enjoyed how it worked here. Instead of Olly and Scott helping others connect, they get a unique chance to discover all the good and bad bits of the other, and come to terms with their true feelings. While “Olly” is brushing up his footie skills so as to not shame Scott on the school pitch, “Scott” is learning all the lines for Romeo, as he’s now the lead in the school play. If it means “Olly” gets the chance to flirt with boys–and even kiss them (as Scott has secretly desired for a while), well then “Scott” must also snog “his” girlfriend. Poor Olly! He sure knew he didn’t have a single scrap of heterosexuality after those experiences in Scott’s stead. Thing is, Scott becomes more and more convinced that he’s the one living the lie–and that Olly is the love of his life. Olly already knew that about Scott; it’s why he broke off their friendship four years ago–he couldn’t bear to watch Scott date girls.

This book is a *little* light on the sexytimes, compared to other books by this author, but it fit reasonably well with the story. These are boys trapped in the others’ body–and it feels like an invasion of privacy to indulge even in manual stimulation. They do break down those barriers, as they build a better rapport and reconnect with each other. I liked how their bond had some time to develop, and it’s SOOO tender. And sweet. And just a bit hot, too.

I really liked how Scott’s parents dealt with the changes they are noticing in “Scott.” Olly, in Scott’s stead, is exposed to Scott’s dad’s homophobia, and that’s pretty rough. Olly’s own parents are super open and loving, and it was interesting to see the careful steps that Scott’s mother took to open communication and build a better rapport. Scott’s girlfriend, on the other hand, wasn’t a nice gal, and Scott was better off being fully shot of her. I liked his friends, on the whole, and I LOVED how conscientious Olly was–to be mindful of Scott’s needs and not trying to make any permanent changes that would play out unfavorably when/if he and Scott swapped back to their original selves.

Ultimately, this is a sweet read, with lots of excellent introspection, a little magic and a YA-ish level of sexual exploration. It’s probably a bit racy for young teens, but the emotional accessibility will appeal to all age levels.

Interested? You can find INTO YOU on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK)

About the Author:
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

You can find Jay on her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page, and Amazon.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

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A Great Beginning With NOT YOUR SIDEKICK–Review & Giveaway!

nys_tour_fbHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA LGBTQ-friendly superhero novel that kicks off a three book series from CB Lee. NOT YOUR SIDEKICK is set in the US, a little over a century into the future, when superheros and villains take center-stage in the world…and Jess isn’t very super.

Check out the excerpt and be sure to enter the $25 GC and book giveaway below!

nys-front-900px-tumblrAbout the book:
Welcome to Andover, where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain.

On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, whom Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there’s the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious “M,” who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.

How about a little taste?

His eyes glowing, he stands in the doorway. Master Mischief’s mechanical armor clanks as he steps into the room. The faded “M M” logo is blistered in purple paint on his chest.

Jess’ brain stutters. Has he figured out her parents’ secret identity? Is this is a kidnapping? A ruse to draw her parents out? She steps back and grabs for the pepper spray in her backpack, but that’ll be little help. Mischief is blocking the only exit.

He’s not an A-class villain, but Jess has never met any villain in the flesh. Despite all the funny T-shirts and silly videos of Mischief, and despite Jess’ arguments that some of what he does isn’t villainous at all, it’s hard to shake off years and years of seeing villains do terrible and destructive things in the news.

And now a villain stands in front of her; his electronic suit crackles with power.

Mischief can manipulate tech, but what is he’s doing here, in the heart of Monroe Industries? He’s certainly in his element. Anything electronic that isn’t too complicated, he can manipulate and control for a limited time. Jess has seen him direct cars to rebel against their owners and reprogram traffic lights and signs and computers.

Jess swallows and stands her ground. He’s silly. He mostly does harmless pranks. He’s ridiculous, not scary.

But it’s one thing to casually joke about villains and another to see one in person.

“I know we were deliberately vague in the job listing and interview, but I hope you understand why we needed the utmost discretion,” Mischief says. The voice is a little different than what she remembers, but that could be her imagination. It’s more electronic—is that a thing?

“Master Mischief?” Jess asks.

Mischief tilts his head; he almost fills the doorframe. But Mischief is quite a few inches shorter than Mistress Mischief, and the difference is always exaggerated in the comics.

He looks taller than Jess, and the suit—she can see black fabric at the knees under the metal armor, as if it doesn’t quite fit. And the logo is old, too; this version of the suit hasn’t been seen for at least a year. “What’s going on here?” Jess asks. “Why do you have Master Mischief’s mecha-suit?”

“Ah, I see you figured that out. I’m M, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“Who are you?” Jess demands. “Do you actually work for Monroe Industries?”

“I’m not Master Mischief, that’s for sure. But yes, he works for Monroe Industries, and I do too. I was his assistant—am his assistant. He’s busy at the moment, and I’m running his lab in the interim.” M folds his arms and tilts his head and lights flicker without a discernible pattern on his helmet’s front panel. “You can laugh now. Villains need jobs too.”

Jess doesn’t laugh. It makes sense, actually. Mischief’s power of technological manipulation would be incredibly handy here; if his meta-powers weren’t low-level he’d be a formidable and almost unstoppable villain. As it is, he can’t use his powers for longer than probably twenty minutes at the most before he has to recharge, just like her parents. “If you’re his assistant, why don’t you have your own suit? What do you do exactly? And is this internship with Monroe Industries or with you and Master Mischief?”

M shakes his head, and makes a noise that almost sounds like a laugh before it is garbled into electronic static.

“I’m wearing an old prototype of his suit because we’ve been incredibly busy working on other projects. New mecha-suits aren’t a priority right now. And yes, you will be working for Monroe Industries, in a subsidiary with special interests. If that’s something you’re still interested in?” M asks.

“This isn’t a kidnapping, is it?”

The panel on M’s helmet blinks various shades of orange, and he throws up his hands. “No, no, absolutely not,” M says. “We wouldn’t kidnap you, do you—do you want to leave?”

My Review:
Jess has grown up in Andover, a smallish town in the Nevada desert, several hundred miles from what remained of Los Angeles, after the Disasters and World War III are just stories in history books. Nearly 100 years ago, when humanity was still fighting to survive, there was a series of large solar flares that caused cataclysmic events, and generated the first generation of meta-humans, humans with super posers, of any type.

Some, like Jess’ father and elder sister Claudia, could fly, some, like Jess’ mother, had super strength. But the degree of “super”-ness wasn’t consistent. Like, Jess’ father can fly for about an hour before he needs to rest and recharge his strength, while Claudia can fly for several hours without fatigue. Jess’ parents were refugees from Asian countries who emigrated to the North American Collective years ago–and were welcomed due to their meta-human status.

Jess, well, she can’t to anything super. She’s tried, and tried to determine if she has any recognizable power, but she’s sure that’s not the case, and with her 17th birthday looming, she’s sure none will surface. Being a Meta-Human and training to help others is Jess’ ambition, and without any trace of powers that seems impossible to occur. So, she decides to give up wishing for powers and look for a job. She’s hired as an intern at Monroe Industries, where they make MonRobots–personal helpers in the home, like Roombas with Artificial Intelligence–so they serve as housepets, too. Only the very wealthy can afford actual pets in these times.

Jess has two close friends, Emma and Bells–who is trans–and she has a crush on the beautiful Abby. Though Jess identifies as bisexual, she’s never dated anyone, and has been attracted to Abby for two years…in secret. Imagine her delight/dismay when it turns out Abby is also interning at Monroe. While working with the mecha-girl, “M” who is her supervisor and an assistant to the C-class villian Mister Mischief, Jess gains a new insight into the hero/villain feuds that loom within the North American Collective–the governmental agency covering the populace within what remains of the US. Jess now notices all the superhero fights seem choreographed, and the villains/heroes seem…off. Plus, she’s noticing inconsistencies in her NAC-monitored e-textbooks and NAC-controlled holonews. Villains are seemingly missing, but never reported captured or incarcerated. Where are they? Jess had already wondered, as her parents had a duty to defend Andover from the nefarious shenanigans of Mister and Mistress Mischief–but no one had seen the fiendish duo in months…

While Jess works for M, she also develops a closeness with both M and Abby, and that’s a lot more delightful. They make a great team, and spend hours building a friendship, though Jess fears letting her attraction become known and chasing Abby away. Little does she suspect Abby and M are very much the same. Also, Jess enjoys the idea that she may be helping her parents’ nemesis’ as she feels very much left out of the super loop. It soon becomes apparent, however, that the “Heroes” arent’ doing very heroic things, and there’s a vast conspiracy in the NAC–using the heroes–to destabilize power in adjacent parts of the world. It’s also clear that the “villains” might be prisoners of the system, and subject to inhumane experimentation. This is a nightmare scenario, and it seems Jess’ sister Claudia might be in the mix.

This was an engaging read. Jess is an ordinary girl, wishing to be “more” and she strives to find how she could be helpful, useful, to humanity. Her friendships with Emma and Bells are sweet, and her growing relationship with Abby proceeds cautiously. Expect some kissing and not much else. That said, there’s all the emotional highs and lows of crushes, and first love. Plus, there’s the whole superhero intrigue, and a government plot that’s up to the kids to unravel and reveal. I really enjoyed the world-building here, and this dystopian futurescape was really well-described and considered. The romance is a significant part of the story, but the same importance and careful attention is given to the mystery and the adventure. Jess learns that she does have some powers, and that she’s not destined to be a sidekick, but an equal in a real partnership–with Abby. I also loved that Jess is Chinese-and-Vietnamese, and her compelling experiences as “other”–not being Asian enough/white enough…which is an unique conundrum that I generally enjoy exploring.

The book ends with a comfortable resolution; not all the plot threads are tied tight, but what remains is clearly the larger plot arcs regarding the government conspiracies regarding meta-human tracking and imprisonment. Years of testing have resulted in serums that can enhance or remove a meta-humans powers, and the stage is set for some real family drama–and battles–to come. It’s billed as a three book series, and I can’t wait to read the next installment. Due to the “superhero” aspect of the plot, expect some charming comic-type art within the book, as well.

Interested? You can find NOT YOUR SIDEKICK on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance, Smashwords, Book Depository, and Indiebound.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 GC to Interlude Press, or one of FIVE e-books of NOT YOUR SIDEKICK.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
C.B. Lee is a bisexual writer, rock climber, and pinniped enthusiast from Southern California. A first-generation Asian American, she is passionate about working in communities of color and empowering youth to be inspired to write characters and stories of their own. Lee’s debut novel Seven Tears at High Tide was published by Duet Books in 2015 and named a finalist in the Bisexual Books Awards. This summer, C.B. was named to Lambda Literary’s Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices.

You can find C B online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, twitter and Instagram.

Big Realizations After ONE NIGHT–Review and Giveaway!

one-night-tour-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary YA novel from Deanna Cabinian that’s lots of coming-of-age and some of romance. ONE NIGHT follows Thompson Lake, a boy not a lake, as he recovers from loving, and losing, his cheating girlfriend.

Catch my review and enter to win a print copy of ONE NIGHT below.

one-night-coverAbout the book:
Thompson may be only seventeen but he knows he’s just checked into Heartbreak Hotel for good, now that his girlfriend, Caroline, has put an end to their burning love. Since then he’s been sleepwalking through his summer job at Super Kmart while desperately dreaming of ways to win her back. He even drops by the Tiki House on Elvis Presley Night hoping that she, a diehard fan of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” will be there as well. That’s when he meets Johnny Lee Young—real estate agent by day, Hawaii’s Favorite Elvis Impersonator by night—and the lovesick teen’s world suddenly takes a wild and unexpected turn.

As luck would have it, Johnny needs a temporary assistant to help with equipment and social media and Thompson eagerly accepts the offer, hoping it will distract him from his painful and lingering romantic issues. But like Thompson, Johnny is nursing a secret heartbreak and pining for his own lost love. So the new roadie starts making plans—with a little help from his friends Ronnie and Greta—to accompany the counterfeit King on an odyssey of a lifetime that will take them far from their island paradise home in search of true love.

My Review:
Thompson Lake is a 17 year-old boy growing up in Honolulu. He had one girlfriend, Caroline, who said she loved him, made him feel special, and then cheated on him with two boys on what has become known as The Worst Valentine’s Day in History(TM). Since then, he’s pined and moped and reconnected with his best friend, a Hawaiian-Thai gangsta rapper called Ronnie. And worked at the Super Kmart.

Thompson hears that it’s Elvis-night at a local restaurant and goes, shamelessly hoping he’ll run into Caroline, as she’s a rabid Elvis fan. It was through Caroline that Thompson developed an affinity for his music, and seeing the entertainers, he’s struck by the sincerity of “Hurt” sung by Johnny Lee Young. Thompson wants to understand the pain and yearning he sensed in Johnny’s rendition, and follows him to a few venues, hoping to learn more. He does, as Johnny does tell him his slightly-fabricated tale of woe. When Johnny’s sound and social media assistant takes off for Italy, he gives the job to Thompson, who does it admirably, and they continue to build a friendship. Thompson thinks if he can fix that heartache for Johnny, he might just find a way to either win Caroline back, or forget about her betrayal for good. So, he enlists tech-savvy Greta, a pretty fellow cashier to help him find Johnny’s girl.

I really liked Thompson. He’s a good guy, and crazy intense. He’s sweet and determined and kinda sad with his desperate love for a foolish girl. Beyond that, he wants to leave a mark on the world, but suffers Overprotective Parent Disorder and has little opportunity to Do Something with himself. His first plan to help Johnny goes a bit sideways, mostly because Johnny wasn’t completely honest about the girl he let get away, way back when. Of course, the next quest is a lot more glamorous–because it takes them to humid Chicago in search of a bride-to-be who may, or may not, still love Johnny.

The friendship that develops between Johnny and Thompson is sweet. Both Johnny and Thompson have sibling issues–for completely different reasons–and they serve as surrogate brothers for each other, despite the 15 year age gap. Thompson really idolizes Johnny, and Johnny provides a good example, offering real and sincere advice to Thompson on how to get over a broken heart. I had lots of chuckles regarding Thompson’s dietary rebellions–snacking on contraband snacks to thwart his mother’s homemade, organic granola and kale chips. As a native Chicagoan, I relished the gourmand’s eye view Thompson and Johnny adopted in Chi-Town. Deep-dish pizza, bacon donuts and breakfast buffets? Yup, we got ’em. It’s clear that spending time with Johnny helped Thompson to grow up, and get over his heartache. It’s true that there’s no love like the first love, but Thompson recognized it doesn’t mean it’s the last, or only, love he could hope to find.

Interested? You can find ONE NIGHT on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a print copy of ONE NIGHT.
Good luck and keep reading my friends.

deanna-cabinianAbout the Author:
Deanna Cabinian has worked in radio, television, and magazine publishing, but her greatest passion is writing. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, she has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a Master’s degree in sport management. She writes from wherever she happens to be, but the majority of her writing is done from Chicago.

When she isn’t writing she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and family.

You can find Deanna onlin on her

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Out Today! INTO YOU Release Day Blitz and Excerpt!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a release day blitz for an upper YA/New Adult-ish M/M romance from Jay Northcote. You know I’ve totally enjoyed other New Adult titles from this author, including HELPING HAND, LIKE A LOVER and PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, but INTO YOU is a totally different kind of book. It features younger boys who seemed destined to be besties forever, until one kiss throws them for a loop–and how they NOW get back to being real.

intoyouAbout the book:
What do you do when the body you wake up in isn’t yours?
Olly and Scott promised to be best friends forever. They grew up on the same street, went to the same school, and did everything together. But one hot summer night, teenage experimentation caused hurt feelings and confusion, and their friendship was destroyed.

Four years later they’re both eighteen years old and in their final term at school. Scott is a football star and Olly’s preparing for a main role in the school play. After a heated argument in the street—witnessed by their mysterious, elderly neighbour—they wake up the next morning stuck in each other’s bodies.

With no idea how to get back to normal, they have to co-operate in order to hide their secret. Spending time together rekindles their friendship, yet feelings run deeper for both of them. With the end of school fast approaching, the clock is ticking. Unless they discover how to change back, they could be stuck in the wrong bodies forever.

A little taste…

The sound of music playing pulled Scott from a thick blanket of sleep into wakefulness. He lay curled on his side; his room was darker than usual, as though someone had come in and closed the blinds while he slept. His bed felt weird, softer than it should be, and it smelled different.

He sat up, blinking in confusion as he looked around. He took in the room, the details unclear in the half-light that crept around the edges of the blind, but it was enough for him to realise where he was.

The posters on the wall were new, but the layout hadn’t changed in four years.

What the fuck?

It wasn’t possible. Logic told Scott there was no way this could be happening.

He’d gone to sleep in his own bed—he hadn’t been drunk or high. So why the hell was he waking up in Olly’s room with no recollection of how he got there? And where the hell was Olly? The music that had woken him was coming from a phone on a docking station by the bed. He picked it up and pressed some buttons until it stopped. His brain was fogged with sleep and he couldn’t think clearly.

Scott got out of bed on shaky legs. His hip ached as though it was bruised. Actually, his whole body felt weird. Perhaps he was sick? Maybe this was all some bizarre hallucination?

Pulling the cord to raise the blind, Scott flooded the room with light. He looked down at himself, only….

He closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them again, he still didn’t see himself. His body was too thin, his skin too pale, the hair on his legs darker than usual, and he definitely didn’t own any snug purple briefs like the ones he was currently wearing.

Stomach roiling with disbelief and terror, Scott turned to the full-length mirror on the wall and blinked.

Olly’s reflection stared back looking as horrified as Scott felt. Scott raised his hands to his face, and so did Olly in the mirror.

“This isn’t happening,” he said.

The voice was Olly’s too, softer and a little higher-pitched than Scott’s own.

It was the weirdest, most vivid dream Scott had ever had.

He pinched himself hard. “Ouch!”

Why wasn’t he waking up?

* * * * * * * *

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep!

Olly shot up, heart pounding at the shrill sound. He opened his eyes and blinked in the sunlight.

Ugh. Too bright.

He looked around wildly and closed his eyes again, refusing to believe what he saw. Obviously he wasn’t awake yet because he couldn’t be in Scott’s room. He hadn’t set foot in Scott’s house in years.

Olly cracked his eyes open again but still saw the white walls, the posters of Scott’s football heroes that Olly remembered from years ago, and the freakishly tidy desk that definitely wasn’t his.

The alarm clock by the bed was still making an awful racket, so he found the button to silence it.

“Scott?” he said hesitantly, then coughed.

What the fuck was wrong with his throat? His voice was deep and rough sounding. Oh God, no, please don’t let him be getting a cold. He couldn’t afford to lose his voice with all the play rehearsals coming up.

He pushed the duvet off and swung his legs around to get out of bed. He’d find Scott and work out what the hell was going on. Maybe he had some weird amnesia after his accident yesterday, although he hadn’t hit his head. There had to be some explanation for why he was apparently in Scott’s bed rather than his own.

Then Olly looked down at his legs—and froze.

They were thicker and more muscular than they should be. Olly only dreamed of having legs like that. The hairs on them were light brown instead of dark, the skin more tanned. He looked at his hands, they were all wrong too, thicker and sturdier than they should be. He lifted one to run it through his hair, the way he often did in times of crisis.

“What the fuck?” No long floppy fringe falling in his eyes. Instead he found short-cropped hair and his ear piercings were gone.

Now convinced he was dreaming, because that was the only possible explanation, Olly got up to look in the mirror. Scott’s handsome face stared back at him, the mouth slack with surprise and the blue eyes wide.

Olly shook his head in disbelief. No way could this be happening. No way. This was the stuff of Hollywood movies, not reality. But cold, creeping panic rose in his gut, because apart from the fact that he appeared to be in the wrong body, everything else felt normal. Way too normal for it to be a dream.

“No,” he said loudly, putting his hands up and touching Scott’s nose, Scott’s cheekbones, Scott’s lips. He felt every brush of his fingertips. “Oh, Jesus Christ on a bike, this is not happening. No.”

I seriously LOVED this. Expect my review next week.

Interested? You can find INTO YOU on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK)

About the Author:
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

You can find Jay on her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page, and Amazon.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

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Happy Book Birthday to DARING THE BAD BOY! Excerpt & Giveaway

MMurphy-DaringtheBadBoyTourHi there! Today I”m helping get the word out on a contemporary YA romance from Ms. Monica Murphy. I’ve liked some of her books in the past, GAME FOR MARRIAGE and GAME FOR TROUBLE, so I know DARING THE BAD BOY will be a sure hit.

Catch the excerpt below and enter to win a $10 GC in the giveaway!

DaringTheBadboy-crush-final-01About the book:
Truth or Dare was never this much fun…
Annie McFarland is sick of being a shy nobody. A session at summer camp seems like the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself—gain some confidence, kiss a boy, be whoever she wants to be. A few days in, she’s already set her sights on über-hottie Kyle. Too bad her fear of water keeps her away from the lake, where Kyle is always hanging out.

Jacob Fazio is at Camp Pine Ridge after one too many screw-ups. Junior counseling seems like punishment enough, but the rigid no-fraternizing-with-campers rules harsh his chill. When a night of Truth or Dare gets him roped into teaching Annie how to swim, she begs him to also teach her how to snag Kyle.

Late-night swim sessions turn into late-night kissing sessions…but there’s more on the line than just their hearts. If they get caught, Jake’s headed straight to juvie, but Annie’s more than ready to dare him to reveal the truth.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains references to drinking, sexual situations, adult language, and an intense bad boy hero who will melt your heart.

How about a little taste?

Great. The rudest boy at camp just so happened to save my life. I hoped he wasn’t one of those types who expected me to be indebted to him for the rest of the summer or whatever.

I looked away and coughed, water filling my mouth so I had no choice but to avert my head and spit it out. My cheeks felt hot, and I couldn’t believe I was embarrassed, but old habits died hard, I guess.

He said nothing, just grabbed my hand and walked/ dragged me the rest of the way out of the water, until we were standing on the sandy beach. I heard feet thumping on the dock and I glanced up, watched in disbelief as the majority of my so-called friends and the boys from B7B ran off the dock. Not a one of them had stayed behind to see if I was okay.

Not a single one of them.

Were they scared they’d get in trouble? Would Jacob rat me out? He was the director’s nephew, after all. I needed to say something to him. I didn’t want to get in trouble. I didn’t want to be sent home, and I’m pretty sure he had the power to make both things happen.

Before I could say anything, though, Jacob grabbed my shoulders and gave them a little shake so I’d look up at him. His eyes were dark, his mouth set in a grim line, and he bent his knees a little so our gazes were even. “You really all right?” he asked, his tone firm.

I’d quit coughing, but my voice still came out slightly wheezy. “I’m fine.” My bones felt like jelly and I thought I might pass out from lack of oxygen, but yeah. I was great.

He squeezed my bare shoulders with his big hands, his fingers sliding over my thin bikini straps, and I realized I’d never stood this close to a boy before with so little clothing on. A shiver moved through me, and I tried to take a step back for much-needed distance, but he wouldn’t let me go.

“That was really stupid, jumping off the dock like that,” he said, his deep voice now full of irritation.

“Trust me, I wasn’t trying to impress you.” I couldn’t believe I’d said that. But I was offended that he basically just called me stupid.

“No kidding.” He released his hold on my shoulders and walked a few steps away, snatching up something off the beach. “And I definitely wasn’t impressed.”

I made an incredulous sound, one I usually saved for the privacy of my bedroom when no one else was around, and he sent me a look. I was reluctant to admit it was sort of a cute look, his dark eyebrows raised, as if he dared me to contradict him.

So I did.

“Are you going to write me up?” When he still said nothing, I continued. “You said you would earlier.” I glanced around, noticed that the dock was completely empty. Where was Kelsey, anyway? Did she leave me, too? “You want me to?” “N-no. O-of c-course n-not.” My teeth had started to chatter. I didn’t know if it was from the cold or the shock, or a combination of both, but I couldn’t make them stop.

“Did you bring a towel with you at least?” Jacob asked. When I shook my head, he muttered something that sounded distinctly like a curse word starting with the letter F. The sympathetic look he shot my way was surprising as he came back toward me, his hand thrust outward, a ball of fabric clutched in it. “Take this.”

I didn’t want him feeling sorry for me. And that didn’t look like a towel. “Wh-what i-is it?” I wrapped my arms around my middle, my fingers brushing against my goosebump-covered torso. I couldn’t stop shaking. It was like I had no control over my body.

He sighed and glanced to his left, then his right, like he wanted to make sure there was no one around before he stepped forward and stretched the dark fabric between his hands. “Don’t move,” he ordered, his tone bossy as he yanked the fabric over my head.

I jerked against his first touch, but otherwise I remained still. It was a giant hoodie that he slipped over my head. Warm and soft and a little sandy from when he’d abandoned it on the beach. The fabric clung to my damp skin and the hem fell to my thighs, covering me from my neck to almost my knees. I shoved my arms in the sleeves but they were so long, they swallowed my hands completely, even when I stretched my fingers out.

He stepped closer and reached behind my head, pulling the hood up so that it covered my soaked hair. Then he grabbed hold of the strings at the sweatshirt’s neck and tugged on them, so the hood cinched around my face tightly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Better?”

I nodded and took a deep breath, the shivering starting to subside, thank goodness. “Much.”

Jacob reached out and wiped one cheek, then the other, his thumb rough yet warm against my chilled skin. “You’re still wet.”

“I should p-probably take a shower.” I clamped my freezing lips shut. Why did I just say that? Showers meant naked, and I didn’t want to talk about getting naked with Jacob.

Interested? You can find DARING THE BAD BOY on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $10 gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is a traditionally published author with Bantam/Random House and Harper Collins/Avon, as well as an independently published author. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance. She is also USA Today bestselling romance author Karen Erickson.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives with her family in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere, along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through many angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Catch up With Monica here:

Website│Twitter│Facebook│Goodreads│Pinterest│Instagram

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Cover Reveal for CAUGHT INSIDE–Excerpt and Giveaway, too!

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Hi there! Busy day for cover reveals! I’m also sharing this fab looking one for a new contemporary M/M YA romance from Jamie Deacon. CAUGHT INSIDE looks like a real heartbreaker!

Catch the excerpt below and be sure to enter to win the $10 gift card!
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About the book:
Luke believes he has his life figured out…and then he meets Theo.
It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.

Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.

How about a little taste?

I swallow against the dryness in my throat. “We need to talk.”

No response.

Slowly, as though wading through deep sand, I cross the room until I’m standing right behind him. He grips the edge of the worktop.

“Theo?”

Still nothing. Only the convulsive tightening of his fingers shows he even heard me.

“Theo,” my voice cracks, “don’t do this.”

Theo sucks in a breath. When he replies, his tone is even. “Do what?”

“This. Shutting me out.”

“I’m—”

“And don’t say you’re not, because we both know that isn’t true.” I’m aware of my voice rising, and lower it with an effort. “Just…don’t.”

Theo exhales in a long sigh. He turns to me, his expression distant but not unkind. I wish he’d glare at me, shout, whatever. Anything to show he gives a damn.

“Luke, I’m sorry about this morning. It was a mistake. If you got the wrong impression—”

“The wrong impression? You kissed me. What impression was that supposed to give me?”

He casts a nervous glance at the window.

“What’s wrong, Theo? Worried Giles might hear? I don’t blame you. He’d probably make you bathe in disinfectant for a year if he knew you’d kissed scum like me.” Theo starts to protest, but I shake my head. “You know what? Forget it. So sorry I embarrassed you.”

I need to get out of here. Humiliation, hot and clammy, coils like tar through my veins. Still, what did I expect? Theo’s made it perfectly clear how he sees me, that he thinks I’m beneath him. I grab for the nearest glass, intending to pour myself a liver full of whatever’s in that jug, but my hand shakes so much it slips through my fingers. Glass collides with oak in a minor explosion, glittering fragments flying.

“Shit.” I drop to my knees, begin picking up the larger pieces. I fumble, a jagged shard slicing my palm. “Shit.”

“Luke?” Theo crouches beside me.

“I’m fine.” I turn away from the phony concern in his eyes, fist clenched around the cut to hide it from view. Blood trickles through my fingers and onto my jeans. The pain is almost a relief.

“Let me see.” Theo holds out his hand, but I jerk away.

“I said I’m fine.”

He ignores me. With gentle firmness, he takes hold of my wrist, uncurling my fingers to examine the wound. My body stills. I scarcely breathe. Every nerve ending, every particle of my being is aware of him, the pressure of his fingers on my wrist, his warm palm supporting the back of my hand.

Sounds like a tense moment… Can’t wait to read on!

Interested? You can find CAUGHT INSIDE on Goodreads, and place your pre-release orders on Beaten Track Publishing, Amazon (US and UK) Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance, and Smashwords.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $10 gift card!
Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Jamie lives in a tranquil spot close to the River Thames in Berkshire, England, and has always been just a little out of place—the only redhead in a family of brunettes; an introvert far more at ease with dogs than with people; a connoisseur of simple pleasures in a society intent on the quest for wealth and fame. Despite an outward cynicism, Jamie is a romantic at heart, and, when not immersed in a book, can mostly be found writing emotional stories where young men from all walks of life are thrust headlong into the breathless, euphoric, often painful whirlwind called love.

Catch up with Jamie here: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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