Tag: new adult contemporary romance

Sydney Reviews The Replacement by Rachel Wade

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.18813228

Synopsis:  My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.

Review: 

The synopsis captures the tone of this book perfectly. It was a complete book for me. Complete in the sense that you had an amazing story, with a smart and sympathetic main character, combined with group of secondary characters who each had complexity and depth and it was topped off with a great setting.The Replacement encompassed all of that and more.

From page one you are smacked in the face with Elise’s life, her reality, and you want to weep for her, but shake her, too. Rachel Wade captures how Elise’s childhood trauma shaped her present life in a way that makes you love Elise. Even when she’s doing bad things, when she’s given up on herself, and even when she looses hope, you hoped for her. 

I enjoyed the relationship dynamics in the story. Elise and all the men in her life brought different traits out of her, from her disgusting relationship with her bosses married brother, to the sweet, yet sexy relationship between her and Ryder.

I’ve been reading a lot of books about damaged characters over coming lately and the element shared by all of them is the ability the author has to make you see the good in the character even before the character does. Wade does a masterful job at doing this and if it ended any other way, I would have been really upset.

Allow me to introduce to you one of these complex secondary Characters.

Nate, it’s nice to meet you, since you’re new to town, I wanted to know more about you. Can you tell me a little more about yourself. Where your from, what brought you to Gig Harbor how you and Natalie meet? 

Hey, nice to meet you. I’m from Phoenix, AZ. I actually moved to Gig Harbor to be close to my grandfather. He’s getting up there in age and he doesn’t really have anyone around to help him out. I figured I could go to school and find work anywhere, so I just decided on a change of scenery.

You seem like a sweet, kind pretty together young man. So maybe you can tell me, why do men cheat? I hope that question doesn’t make you uncomfortable. 

Wow, isn’t that a loaded question. Uh…I have no idea why men cheat. Sometimes I think guys just want to break the rules. Sometimes there’s too much pressure, too many expectations in a relationship. Sometimes things are too perfect, or there’s no excitement. Or sometimes they’re just curious, I guess. That’s all I’ve got, sorry.

Obviously, you’ve heard about Elise’s reputation, why do you think there is such a double standard about women who sleep around versus men who sleep around? 

I’ve never understood that, to be honest. I think chicks are really harsh on each other over that stuff. It seems like people just expect guys to screw up or something. When we cheat, no one’s surprised. But when a chick cheats, we’re ready to burn them at the stake. It’s kinda messed up.

Now that you’ve had time to reflect, how do you feel about your actions? 

How do I feel? Man, I don’t know. No comment. Can I say that? Yeah, no comment.

A few of my favorite things

Tattoo References: Elise and Ryder have tattoo’s and get more tattoos in the book. Elise has a birdcage with a bird flying out of the open door. The bird carries a heart that says “Quand on veut, on peut.” Means “When one wants, on can.” in French. She gets another tattoo on her other hip which is a nest on a tree with a pile of hearts. “My has a home,”

Movie References:  None

Favorite Line:  “This is my kind of romance, Art and ink and blood. It’s damn sexy, and the gesture has rendered me speechless.” Elise says this after Ryder takes her to get a tattoo as a gift. For anyone listening, this would be my perfect gift. 

*Just a few of my favorite things. 

The Replacement Purchase Links

Author Bio:  Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of THE PRESERVATION SERIES, LOVE AND RELATIVITY, and the upcoming New Adult sci-fi series, THE KEEPERS TRILOGY. When she’s not writing, she’s busy going to concerts, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. She’s an avid Brandi Carlile fan and loves all things Tim Burton.

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

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Beautiful Rose by Missy Johnson Blog Tour

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment
BRoseCoverBeautiful Rose by Missy Johnson 
(Beautiful Rose #1) 
Publication date: October 24th 2013 
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:

Jack Falcon is a new man. Three years after he left his life behind in London, Jack finally feels settled. He’s surrounded with everything that is important to him; a great relationship with his brother, Alex, a bar he is about to re-open, and most importantly, he has control of his life and his dreams. He knows he can’t undo the wrongs of his past, but he sure as hell can determine his future. He has worked hard to move forward and nothing is going to undo that.

Until he meets Rose.
Rose Wilson has never felt normal. Since she was a child, Rose has felt nothing but the overwhelming desire to end her life and she has no idea why. We live to die, so what’s the point in living? Rose has pushed the limits in the past, and pushed people away. She can’t figure out why Jack and Alex are so insistent on helping her. Twelve years of therapy has failed to help her, so why should they be any different?
Jack sees just how beautiful and important Rose is, but convincing her of that means putting his heart on the line, something he isn’t sure he can do. He can’t deny his feeling for Rose, but that doesn’t mean he has to act on them. And Jack isn’t the only one developing feelings for Rose.

Before Rose, Jack vowed he would never let himself fall in love again.

Before Rose, he had control.

But sometimes, it’s losing control that makes you really see what’s really important in your life.

EXCERPT
“Right. Jack, this is my friend from work, Lola. Lola, this is Jack.” Lola gave me a small wave. I grinned back at her.
“Turn around,” Harmony said to Lola. I watched, my cock twitching as she began to unclasp the corset slowly. Harmony swept Lola’s hair out of the way and began kissing her neck. Lola turned around, letting the corset fall to the floor as her arms curved around Harmony’s neck. Her nipples hardened as they pressed up against Harmony. This girl had a nice set of tits. They weren’t huge, but they were so damn perky.
Unzipping my fly, I reached into my pants and freed my cock, which was already hard. I gripped my palm around it, grunting as it swelled in my hand. Fuck yes.

Purchase
 
AUTHOR BIO
Missy lives in a small town in Central Victoria with her husband, and her confused pets (a dog who think she’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog…you get the picture).

When she’s not writing, she can usually be found looking for something to read.

Author links

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What is New Adult – Here is a great example

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle3 Comments
I posted this on The Peasant Revolt last week, but really love this post, so I thought I would repost it here one my own site to share with you lovely people. 

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In my continuing exploration of What is New Adult?, I thought I’d bring to your attention a novel I read recently that I feel is quintessential New Adult; In Too Deep by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

I received book #1 & book #2 of the In Too Deep Series in exchange for an honest review for On Solid Ground (Book #2), released this week.

Because I hate reading anything out of sequence, I had to read book #1, first. I am so happy I did.

I loved this book, but this isn’t a review or an endorsement. This post is an illustration.  If you are confused about what is New Adult, read In Too Deep. This book is New Adult to perfection.

Let’s go back to our definitions from a few months ago in What is New Adult?:

Characters experiencing; college, living away from home for the first time, a first serious relationship. Lot’s of first. 

In Too Deep explorers the relationship between Gracie and Noah. Gracie is a sophomore in college and Noah is her first serious boyfriend and her first intense relationship.  With Noah, Gracie experiences a lot of firsts. Unfortunately, most of those firsts, she ends up regretting.

Characters in the 19 – 25 age range who are trying their best to figure out life for themselves. 

Gracie’s is 20 years old when the novel begins and her first real relationship takes a dark and disturbing turn out of the blue and Gracie scrambles to figure out how to navigate the new dynamic in her relationship while continuing to profess to her friends, family and herself, that everything is still the same.

Characters who stumble through their early twenties trying to find their way in an adult word, but they don’t have the responsibilities that adults do. 

Gracie certainly stumbles through this novel. She spends so much time doubting and loosing her true self while trying to hold on to a man who isn’t what he claims to be.  She hopes he will return to the person she though he was if only she could love him enough. When we are young, we tend to let things play out for themselves because we feel like we have all the time in the world to figure it out.

Character’s lives are filled with internal, as well as external, conflict. The stakes are high, but happily ever after is not goal.  It is all about the main character growing and realizing that no matter what, life does go on.

Gracie’s internal search for self worth and peace pulls at your heart. Her external search for love and happiness gives you hope and makes you root for her every step of the way even when at times you are frustrated by her actions.

The stake hover around the life and death variety, along with abuse, self esteem and self preservation at the heart of things.  We don’t want Gracie to fall in love and live happily every after. We don’t need the fairy tale ending, we just want Gracie to be stronger, happier, and healthier then she was at the beginning of the novel.  Because the stakes are so high, we are happy with where she ends up as long as she has moved forward.

That is New Adult in a nutshell. 

What book exemplifies the New Adult category for you? 

Check out my review of On Solid Ground (In Too Deep #2) by Michelle Kemper Brownlow.

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Meant for Me by Faith Sullivan – Release Day!

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

Title: Meant for Me
Author: Faith Sullivan
Expected release date: December 10, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Ebook available at: Kindle | Nook | Smashwords  

Book Description:

Eric thought he had forever…before.

Divided between reliving the past and embracing his new life with Ivy, Eric fears that love will once again be ripped from his grasp. Having faith in the future is hard. So many things can go wrong.

Ivy is convinced that what they have is meant to be…but no one can escape the wheel of fate.

Her love for Eric and the life they’re creating make every sacrifice seem worthwhile. Until she’s forced to reveal the truth surrounding her delicate condition. Even if it shatters his hope.

Can they hold onto their newfound happiness or are events already in motion to keep them apart?


 Excerpt:

My boyfriend is so freakin’ hot.

I press my nose against the glass, peering out as he stops to take a break from cutting the grass around the garden center. It’s sweltering outside and he’s worked up quite a sweat pushing the lawn mower up and down the property. As a result of his labor, his white t-shirt is clinging to his chest in all the right places. I sigh happily, taking him in.

He has no clue that I’m watching as he picks up a water bottle and pours it over his head, forming a trail that trickles down the length of his body. I clutch the windowsill as I feel that all too familiar twinge between my legs. Being pregnant, my hormones are on fire and it doesn’t take much to get me going. So it’s no wonder a moan escapes my lips when he doesn’t stop there. Instead, he casually begins to strip in front of me.

My cheeks burn as he lifts his arms over his head, removing his shirt, elongating every inch of his defined abs. My eyes follow his v-shaped pelvic muscle as it dips suggestively below his belt buckle. My breathing becomes heavy as he stretches, causing his jeans to ride even lower on his hips. My pulse skyrockets as he proceeds to wring the water out of his shirt, flexing his glistening biceps against the rays of the setting sun.

I squirm against the window, forcing my knees together. My movement catches his attention and he glances up, meeting my gaze. A sexy grin slowly spreads across his face when he realizes the effect he’s having on me. My mouth is open. I’m literally panting for him. He shakes his head and chuckles softly. My heart clenches at how adorable he looks.

He’s not the kind of guy who flaunts his body, but for me it seems like he enjoys being on display. He runs his hands through his damp hair, tousling it before grabbing another bottle of water. He winks at me, tilting back his head and taking a long swig. He closes his eyes, his lips wrapped around the bottle, teasing me. He smiles when he’s done, beckoning me with his finger.

I don’t hesitate for a moment. I gladly leave the confines of his air-conditioned office and rush outside. He’s waiting, his eyes smoldering. He stands with his hands on his hips, watching as I approach. It’s unseasonably mild for October, and I step out of my clogs as I draw nearer to him. His gaze never leaves my face. It only intensifies, causing me to blush even more.

I get close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek, but I don’t speak. Instead, I run my hands across the wide breadth of his shoulders and down his heaving chest. My touch must be driving him wild because I can feel his heart thudding beneath my fingertips. His skin is so smooth and firm. He’s a man’s man who’d never dream of waxing his upper body, and a trail of soft, fine hair guides me to his belly button and beyond.

“How can I expect to get anything done around here with you touching me like that?” Eric asks, his voice all husky as I find the zipper of his jeans.

“Well, you shouldn’t be tempting me by getting naked in front of the window,” I whisper seductively as he grabs my wrist, preventing me from lowering his zipper and undressing him any further.

With my free hand, I start to remove my dress when he growls, “I don’t want anyone seeing what’s mine.” He scans the horizon for any approaching vehicles, but there are none to be found. “No one’s ever going to hear what you sound like when you come. Only me.”

 
Books in this series:
(linked to Goodreads)
 

 About the Author:
 
Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.


 Where to find Faith Sullivan:

 

Tweet these pics (and tag @_FaithSullivan_) to gain extra entries!

Tragic Love – It’s a Book Blitz

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

Tragic Love (Sulfur Heights #2) by M.S. Bannon

Excerpt:  There are moments of such significance in your life it doesn’t matter what you do or what someone can say, nothing will eliminate that memory from the deepest recesses of your mind. These moments will always be there, filling up your entire life with so much joy you could combust at any second. Then, there are moments filled with the most earth shattering pain ever in existence when you feel like you’re dying a horrible death. These moments live so closely together in your mind, they are almost intertwined with one another. Moments that are spinning on an axis, carefully balanced on the rim of your sanity.

Not living far from these significant events in one’s life are the feelings attached to them. Feelings that live in the shadows of these particular moments where a person never knew one could experience such emotions until the day that you live through such an instance because they only surface when you fully understand just how life altering the event is. They’re unexplainable. A person is not meant to feel any of these foreign feelings until they’ve experienced that moment first hand.  ~Drake Evans, Tragic Love

Book & Author Details: 
Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00011]Tragic Love by M.S. Brannon
(Sulfur Heights #2)
Publication date: November 6th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:

“From the moment I locked eyes with hers, we’ve had this undeniable connection that was and will always be wicked. A love that would literally kill me if it didn’t survive, but lately, could kill me if it did.” ~Drake Evans.

For Drake and Presley, life has handed them more challenges than any one person should ever face in a lifetime. Together, they’ve survived Presley’s captivity from her deranged uncle, but now they must learn how to live with the events that surrounded her time spent with him, while keeping the details of her rescue a secret.

For Presley Quinn, living the last two years has been practically unbearable, constantly drowning in nightmares put there by a man responsible for the violent images continually playing in her mind. She keeps moving forward, but is barely clinging onto the edge when she’s faced with another obstacle from her past that is so unavoidable, so tragic, it threatens to break her apart—herself.

Drake will do anything to protect Presley from ever feeling pain again. His love is irrefutable. He walks side by side with her, vowing he will never let anyone harm her again. However, when an unexpected event turns Presley against everyone she’s ever loved, Drake is faced with trying to save the only woman he’s ever loved or severing the only lifeline she’s ever had—himself.

**Mature Content Warning** 17 years and older for language and sexual content.  

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MSAUTHOR BIO
M.S. Brannon was born and raised in the Midwest. She still resides there today with her wonderful husband and son. When she is not writing or reading, M.S. Brannon spends time with her family, watching movies, and discovering new music. She writes romance because she believes love and heartache is the rawest emotion one can experience.

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