Tamsyn Bester's Blog, page 23

*Undying Love Blog Tour*

Hi Brats :)

Today I am excited to be part of the blog tour for Nelle L'Amour's Undying Love :)






Synopsis

He is Ryan Madewell, a heart stoppingly handsome Harvard grad from one of Manhattan’s wealthiest families, who’s on his way to heading up his father’s media empire.

She is Allee Adair, a beautiful but sassy art school grad from the wrong side of the tracks, who dreams of living in Paris.

Despite their many differences, Ryan and Allee are instantly smitten with each other over a Picasso nude. They share a steamy, passionate love that dares to challenge everything --including Ryan’s ruthless father, his revengeful ex-girlfriend, and Allee’s dark secrets. Only, it may end too soon.

Here is an erotic love story that will make you laugh and cry. It will stay in your heart forever. Love means never having to say goodbye.
This is a little different for me because as a rule I don't like reading books that don't have Happy Ever After's! Books are the only place where happy endings are guaranteed. That being said, I think Undying Love was a beautifully written story about 2 people from 2 opposite walks of life who were destined to meet, fall in love and discover strength in each other. It's hot, sexy, steamy and altogether heartbreaking! Despite many challenges, Ryan loves Allee - but the true "I can't live without you" kind of love and he proves that in the end, when his world comes crashing down. Allee has to learn how to open up to Ryan and trust him with some pretty dark secrets.

I gave this book 3.5 starts, but for slighlty more subjective reasons. It was well written, and the characters were incredibly well developed. Most people who read this WILL get sucked in, and WILL fall in love with Ryan & Allee's story but the ending was a tough pill to swallow due to personal experiences. Despite the rating, I highly recommend this book & would strongly advise that you keep tissues handy!!

More Reviews:

*Ena Burnette*

*Alexis Nicole*

*Jen Oreto*



UNDYING LOVE EXCERPT

         Thirty minutes later, we stood facing each other
in my candlelit bedroom. I thought fucking her
would be fast and snappy, just like our first verbal
encounter. But it was just the opposite. Slow.
Methodical. Sensual.
         Allee gazed at me for a long while. I was about to
make the first move when she softly said, “Madewell,
I’m gonna undress you.”
         I didn’t move a muscle as she expertly lifted my
t-shirt over my head, unzipped my jeans, and pulled
them down my long legs. She then slid down my
boxers and let them fall to my feet. I stepped out
of them, the jeans, and my sockless loafers. I was
totally naked. Her eyes roved up and down my body,
lingering on the hard pillar of flesh between my legs.
Smiling, she ran her fingers down my muscular
arms, slowing over my defined biceps. Seamlessly,
she segued to my ass, outlining the curvature, and
then down to my thighs until she could go no further
without squatting. My skin tingled beneath the pads
of her fingertips. Her touch was so soft, so sensual,
so soothing. So the opposite of the caustic girl who
had verbally challenged me the first time I’d met her
at the Met. Perhaps this was the real Allee or, at
least, a different side of her.
         She looked straight into my eyes. “Madewell, you
have a nice body. It’s meant to be painted.”
         “Thanks,” I mumbled, humbled by her unusual
compliment. She was no bullshitter.
         Eager to see her in the nude, I reached for her
blazer. She forcefully lowered my hand.
         “Let me,” she insisted. I had no choice as she
shrugged the jacket off and let it tumble to the floor.
         I had to remember that she was very independent
and somewhat of a control freak. For some reason,
it was difficult for her to take things from me, be it
money or a favor.
         “You can watch,” she said as she slowly
unbuttoned her white blouse.
         With each button she undid, I felt myself getting hotter
and hotter. At the same time, my dick was growing longer
and thicker. By the third button, I could see a hint of her bra,
and when she was done unbuttoning, she pulled
the edges of her blouse apart, exposing her breasts
in full view. Jesus! They were even more beautiful
than I’d imagined. Firm and full, plumped up by the
sexiest, lacy black bra I’d ever seen—the kind of bra
that I least expected her to be wearing. Falling into
the thick fold of her breasts was the single piece
of jewelry she wore other than her watch—a gold
locket on a chain.
         She proceeded to unfasten her pleated skirt and
pull it down. My eyes grew wide. She was wearing
a sexy red lace garter belt over skimpy, high-cut
panties that matched her bra. Slowly, one by
one, she unhooked each garter, letting her sheer
stockings slither down her toned legs to her slender
ankles. She gracefully stepped out of the skirt and
then yanked off her sensible work shoes and the
crumpled hose. She stood before me in the bra,
garter, and panties that rose on the sides to make
her already long, shapely legs look longer.
Holy shit! Her body was beyond beautiful.
         Her creamy, unblemished skin shimmered in the  
candlelight, and I admired the curves and contours
that made her deliciously womanly. Charlotte,
in contrast, who still lingered in my mind, was a
small-breasted, straight-as-an-arrow, stretched
rubber band. Charlotte’s body always screamed,
“Don’t touch.” Allee’s was screaming, “Take me
all.” I wanted her. It took all my willpower to resist
ravaging her when she loosened her ponytail, letting
her dark, wavy mane cascade over her shoulders like
a whimsical cape. She looked like she had escaped a
Botticelli painting.
         She met my gaze. “How would you describe what
you see in that crap magazine of yours?”
         For a writer, I was wordless. I was too shell-
shocked to move my lips. Finally, I managed one
word: “Hot.” Fucking hot!
         The corners of her lips curved into a sexy smirk.
“Madewell, for a man of words, you surprise me. You
could do better than that.”
         Her put-down actually turned me on. My fully
erect cock twitched. I felt like a high-speed elevator
going up as she slipped off her scanty undergarments
and tossed them like a stripteaser across the room.
My eyes never strayed from her nor did they blink.
         “Fuck me now, Madewell.”  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  *'1 Click' Undying Love by Nelle L'Amour*  More soon my Brats :)

Tam

xxx

*This Love of Mine Blog Tour*

Hi Brats :)

Its time for the 'This Love of Mine' Blog Tour to make a stop here at TheSecretBookBrat :) Not only am I excited about the book, but also about the tour being the first to be hosted by TheSecretBookBrat :)






It's no secret that I am a huge Amanda Bennett fan, so when I heard about This Love Of Mine I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. And I definitely wasn't disappointed. Having read all of Amanda's other books, I felt like This Love Of Mine was a breath of fresh, Southern air. Amanda is known for creating an intense read, keeping you enthralled from start to finish, never knowing what will happen. Amanda pushes her characters past breaking point only to teach them about strength, courage and love along the way to a very happy ending. This Love Of Mine was no different.

Kayla James (KJ) pretty much runs away from home, where she barely escapes the abuse from her psycho mother and even more psycho boyfriend (who became her ex-boyfriend of course). At 17, you can immediately tell that she has seen more than an average girl her age. She has a 'worldy' presence about her, like she's an old soul. She moves to Texas, where she has spent every summer on her grandparents farm. Now, due to unfortunate circumstances, her move is permanent and in her search for a new beginning, she stumbles across a very sexy cowboy...















 


Madison Raine just Graduated from High School and is staring at a very bright future in pro
Baseball. After the death of his mother at a young age, and the incarceration of his father, Madison was forced to grow up a lot quicker. On the outside he's all man, with his thick Southern twang and his tattoos...yummm... But underneath the bravado, he's just a scared little boy trying to make something of himself without having the guidance of his parents. He's expecting the visit at his grandparents farm to go by fairly quickly, since he will be leaving sooner for Baseball camp, but then he meets Kayla.
































Madison's grandfather warns him to stay away from Kayla, unaware of the family history between his grandparents and hers, but also unaware of the road that has lead her to
Texas permanently. He finds himself intrigued by the small girl from Arizona covered in bruises and hair matted by dried blood and after a few chance encounters under an Oak tree, they find themselves falling in love. Madison is torn between leaving Kayla and pursuing his Baseball career back in Arizona but decides to make the most of his time with her.

Kayla is strong and is the perfect contrast to Madison's 'gentle' demeanor. He treats her with love and kindness, something she isn't accustomed to nor does she expect it from someone like Madison. She didn't expect to open up but when her past makes an unexpected appearance, Madison comes face-to-face with who Kayla really is. And he loves her nonetheless.

This is the first book in a trilogy, and is one of my absolute favorites from Amanda. You'll go on an emotional journey and feel what the characters are feeling. The sweet, innocent love story between Kayla and Madison will suck you in, break your heart and then somehow keep it stapled together long enough for the next book. You'll also cry for Kayla and you'll be routing for her because honestly, no one deserves a happy ending more than she does!! *COUGH COUGH AMANDA!*

4 Stars **Highly Recommended**

And now, for some other fab goodies....

Excerpt  

 



  Dream Cast
    *Playlist*


Now what would a Blog Tour be without a giveaway? :) Follow the instructions on the picture to stad a chance of winning some FAB goodies from This Love Of Mine...

 Now that you know how *AMAZING* the book is, you can totally '1 Click' it :)   *1 Click This Love Of Mine*   Please be kind enough to leave your review on Amazon & Goodreads!  Thanks a Bunch Brats! Tam loves ya :) xxx  

*Book Blitz - Drowning In You by Rebecca Berto*

Hi Brats :)

It's time for another Book Blitz & I'm excited that it's Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto :)

   About Drowning In You   Secretly crushing

Crushed by a tragedy
Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart.

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune.

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.  Charlee May is still grieving the death of her mother, who died in a fatal skiing accident, while her father fights to stay alive in the hospital. She has gone from a young care free woman to having to be the strong one, essentially becoming a mother to her younger brother.  Dexter Hollingsworth has become a social outcast since his friends and members of the community have shunned him, holding him responsible for the accident that took the life of Charlee's mom and critically injured her dad. He feels worthless and lost, blaming himself for what tore Charlees' happy family apart.  But to these two young people, that doesn't seem to be the worst part - to them the worst is the fact that they are so hopelessly in love and have been for almost 5 years. Charlee can't bring her self to get over the boy who "murdered her parents" and Dexter won't allow himself to love Charlee for the same reason. What they don't know is that there is a lot more to the events surrounding the ski accident and together discover the truth.  "I'm the worst kind of bad for you, Charz."
"Maybe I like bad, Dex." "Please me make unlove her because I can't love her with everything going on, and not being with her is hurting us both. And I wouldn't want her to get involved with a guy like me because Charz deserves to be treated like she's the only girl on the planet. " - Dexter


"But I hate the way I love him." - Charlee
"Before Dex, I didn't know the feeling of "intense". - Charlee "My Charz is drowning in hurt, and no amount of swimming records or money will save her. And I'll do anything to stop her from hurting. Maybe that's what I'm doing, trying to save her from drowning in her misplaced guilt and feelings." - Dexter
You spend a great deal of the book inside the heads of the characters, which works quite well with alternating points of view. Rebecca created a continuous flow of tension and one moment you're thinking "Oh my God," while the next you're thinking "JUST KISS HER ALREADY!". It was incredibly well written, with a well developed story line. Rebecca spent a great deal of time 'developing' her characters and did a fantastic job of portraying who they are throughout the book. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to see what else Rebecca gives us :)
4 Stars **Highly Recommended**  (I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I was hoping for a little more sexy ;) Purchase: Amazon paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Drowning-You-Re...
Amazon Kindle:http://www.amazon.com/Drowning-in-You-ebook/dp/B00C83XWN4/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/302783
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Drowning-in-You/book-M3hQgv8Al0mA7rZ-wyjJPg/page1.html   Excerpt... Dexter Mom’s still working at the hospital so my only choice is to walk. Twenty seconds into my escape, the first raindrop splatters on my eyelid. I shake it off and tip my head to the sky. Bloated, gray clouds hog the space above. I can’t remember it being blue in so long. This Melbourne winter isn’t much better than when I was a kid in Chicago. But we don’t even get snow here. It’s just freezing. Freezing. The word escapes and I feel it. My bones are rattling. Looking down, I remember I put on my holey jeans and my black shirt with the rolled sleeves at my elbows. If I could do over my pitiful walk out of Dad’s and my argument, I would have grabbed my hoodie. And that’s when everything gets fucked up. I give myself a handshake, tap my cheeks. Nope, I’m hot still. Not cold at all. Which means…I don’t want it to be true but— I’m holding my fingers in front of my face. I stop at the corner of our street, a car vrooming past, another coming up, but I don’t hear them because it’s become quiet in my world. I feel my fingers trembling before I see them quiver and blur as my vision falters. This is karma, I bet. I’m having a hypo attack ‘cause I’m diabetic, by which I’m essentially…what’s the word… What am I…? My mind is looping already. It’s bad, I know. I was so wrung up arguing with Dad I didn’t notice it, but now I do. Trembling when his face came near had nothing to do with being scared. I need sugar quick, like I do with every hypo. I pat my pockets down but I only feel my leg through the material, because, of course, I hate carrying my candy on me in case someone sees and asks what it is for. Fuck my diabetes. I’m my own worst enemy. My body can’t even sustain itself. My blood sugar level is dropping, and it’s making my steps wobbly. One of the cars approaching slows. Noises come from chatter inside. I refuse to look and give those shitheads the time of day since I know exactly what they’re looking for. But when I hear a snicker I start. I swear I know that voice. If I had to guess, I’d say it belongs to Robby. I haven’t seen him since before the Mason’s ski accident mess when he used to talk and hang with me in the group. Lucky I decide to turn after all because an egg, followed by another, tumbles in the air in a direct line for me. I duck and they sail just over my hairline. When another car slows, I’m ready to fucking lose it, even if it only backs up my new reputation as a killer. But my words are stumbling, smooshed, and not coming out of my mouth right thanks to my severely depleted blood-sugar level and the fact that my body’s in survival mode. Then out of the window pops Darcy May’s head. I know that kid. He’s Charlee’s little bro. Just my luck. That her mom was the only one to die at Mason’s. I’ve been wanting to kiss this girl since before I got my first tattoo, or my eyebrow ring. Before seeing her at the opposite end of the occasional party. All things considered, a rich, beautiful, kind-looking girl like Charlee would never bring home a guy like me. I’ve never spoken to her the way I want to. Why take the risk of getting rejected by the only girl I’ve ever really wanted? And even if she did want me, would she see me or me as the person as what I’ve done to her parents? I know Charlee’s read the papers; she couldn’t have missed it. Dexter Hollingworth was on shift as a lift operator when the overhead wires snapped on one of the lifts at Mason’s Ski Resort. No charges have been laid. Charlee’s Audi hatchback stops beside me. Darcy pops his head back in and chucks a thumb at me then turns to whisper something to Charlee. I take these rare moments when I still see her around to imagine her letting her blonde hair down and shaking it out across her face. About getting a hand into that hair and holding her to my chest with the other. I want to know what she smells like. It’s as close as I deserve to get. Seriously.... What would a Book Blitz be without a Guest Post? Rebecca Berto took some time to talk to TheSecretBookBrat.... :)     Best New Adult fiction  It’s a given. I guestimate that New Adult novels take up over 50% of my reading and being the New Adult junkie I am, I wrote a little book called Drowning in You. I remember what made me write it: Beautiful Disaster and Easy. New Adult has a special place with me. When I wrote the first draft of Drowning in You, I was 21. I’m now 22 and these characters in these sorts of books are around my age and though I’m more of a mature, old woman inside than some part-animal freak, they’re going through a similar stage of life as I was at that stage: discovering love, life, careers—what is my purpose?  So, I wanted to share my favorite New Adult literature. Some are wildly popular, selling 500,000+ copies and some are lesser known, but after reading them, all deeply touched me. All 5+ stars in my eyes.  And, no. I won’t do a ten to one countdown because I can’t order my favorites. Sheesh!  Here are my equal favs:  Beautiful Disaster, Jamie McGuire This book was loved or hated because of Travis’ bad ways and Abby’s acceptance of him. For me, when I still have a book hangover nine months after reading said book, I know it’s a special one. I loved Travis as per so many others in the female population.  Easy, Tammara Webber One of the first ever New Adult books I read, and what an introduction to the genre! Lucas is one of my top book boyfriends, and I so adore the mixture of not only sexual chemistry between Lucas and Jacqueline, but also the emotional punch this story delivers and the serious message behind it all.   [Anything by Colleen Hoover], Colleen Hoover Need I explain myself? All three of Colleen’s novels—Slammed, Point of Retreat and Hopeless—are standouts in fiction. I find myself saying “butterflying” and “I live you” in my life when non-book-junkies think I’m simply crazy. Colleen has wormed in her way as part of my life.   The Edge of Never, J.A. Redmerski Part of the wonder of this book is the slow, creeping-up-on-you romance. It changes from contemporary to romance to almost erotic to break-your-heart and by the end, author Jessica had drained all my emotions. I was so connected to Andrew and Cam’s story.   Ten Tiny Breaths, K.A. Tucker What a creeper! I put off this book for no reason for almost half a year. God, I wasted so much time! *sulks* Author Kathleen has a way of writing some serious punch across many platforms. I laughed (even snorted), cried, and had to turn on my fan for many of hot, hot scenes.   (Thompson Sisters series), Charles Sheehan-Miles This man can write like a woman. Better than most women! It’s strange, in retrospect, that I realized two of the strongest female characters I’ve ever read are written by a male author in both his books in the series, Just Remember to Breathe and A Song for Julia. Lovee.             The Sea of Tranquility, Katja Millay Blew me away. I couldn’t think straight for days? Weeks? I pre-ordered the paperback, like, 130 days before publication. Josh and Nastya are two of my favorite characters both separately and together. TSoT made me ugly cry and after much torture, awwww.   The Enchanted Orchards, Kristin Maddock I found this little book on a random Amazon search for a romantic literary novel. Like I do with Hopeless, I can’t help but rant and suggest (force) my bookish friends read this. It’s told in a direct style and a poetic voice that had me in love with it from the prologue.   (The Dark Duet series), C.J. Roberts What a cruel human being. I am disgusted in myself since becoming a C.J. Roberts fan. I love Caleb, the torturer. I like the hot, erotic scenes with him and the beautiful, Olivia. I love everything, which hurts a damn lot considering C.J. loves to torture her readers. Gawd! Just wow.  Charade, Nyrae Dawn Did NOT expect to cry and fall in love with this book in any way as significantly as I did. Chey and Colt turn out to be such an amazing couple from what started out as lies. It turns from fun, to heart-breaking and romantic and definitely gave me a similar OMG-I-adore feeling as The Edge of Never did. ***  If I may be so bold, I’d recommend Drowning in You for fans of Hopeless and Charade, as it gave me a similar feeling when I wrote it. :) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  GIVEAWAYS Grand prize giveaway Here is the Rafflecopter code for the blitz grand prize giveaway if you wish to share it on your post (by copy/pasting the embed code in your posts' HTML) It's open internationally for 5 chances to win an ebook copy.   <a id="rc-d04251127" class="rafl" href="http://www.thesecretbookbrat.com/2013...http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d04251127/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="http://www.thesecretbookbrat.com//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script> _________ AUTHOR BIO Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy.   Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter  

*Broken At Love Blog Tour*

Hi Brats :)

I am thrilled to be part of the Broken At Love Blog Tour!! This was one of many books that I loved & I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC in exchange for an honest review :) (Keep reading....There's a special surprise at the end of this post ;)**)



  When a knee injury ends twenty-year-old Quinn Rowland’s pro tennis career, he’s not only dumped by his hot Russian girlfriend but ordered to attend college by his disinterested billionaire father. A rich kid who’s not used to being disappointed by life, Quinn and his sociopathic half-brother Sebastian create a frat house game intended to treat girls how they see them—as simple game pieces to be manipulated for their pleasure.

College sophomore Emilie Swanson knows Quinn’s reputation—after all, he did send one of her sorority sisters into therapy earlier in the semester—but the game and his charm bring them closer together and soon she starts to believe there’s more to Quinn than people think.

But what if the more is something darker than a game of toying with emotions and breaking hearts?

Quinn and Emilie might be falling for each other, but there are secrets he’s not ready to tell—and lifestyle changes he’s reluctant to make. She willingly stepped on the court, but if Emilie finds out she started out as nothing as a pawn in Quinn and Sebastian’s twisted game, she might never forgive him.

To his surprise, Quinn finds that he might finally care about someone more than he cares about himself…even if that means letting Emilie walk away for good.

****What did I think?? I devoured this book *gobble gobble gobble* and Quinn Rowland in a matter of 8 hours... Does that answer your question??To say that I loved this book is an understatement... Quinn Rowland is a has-been tennis star who's career is cut short after a knee injury... He is forced to attend Whitman University, and instead of focusing on his education, he spends his days drinking, partying and playing a game that has become well-known amongst all the girls at Whitman University... Until now, getting girls into bed has been a piece of cake for Quinn, since they get into his bed willingly... Quinn Rowland is an *ASSHAT*, just like Damon Salvatore, but you fall in love with broken man beneath the facade. He is *Beautifully Broken* and just when he thinks his thick skin bravado is impenetrable, Emilie Swanson walks through the fron door of his house and beats him at his own game. 6 love... She is sweet, and innocent, and everything Quinn knows to stay away from but his *Bad Boy* ways prevent him from resisting the challenge she presents. Of course, Emilie is also very aware of Quinns reputation, and knows her heart will be broken at the end of it all. But Emilie is already broken and when one night with Quinn exposes who he really is, she falls in love with the *REAL* Quinn Rowland... Emilie's love is enough but Quinn doesn't think he's worthy... Will he be able to prove to *HIMSELF* that he's worthy of a woman like Emilie's love or will he allow his own darkness to consume him completely?? I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK <3 If you loved The Perfect Game by Jenn Sterling, Never Too Far by Abbi Glines or Ashes by Molly McAdams then you will love this too!! :) I just want to thank Lyla for sending me the ARC :) I can't wait for the release of Broken At Love and to see what's next!! :) My Quinn & Emilie

Lyla Payne's Quinn & Emilie    Being the Brat that I am, I'm always curious to know what Authors think when they imagine what their characters look like in real life. Lyla Payne was kind enough to chat with me about her dream cast selection & has introduced us to some new characters whol be popping up in Whitman University #2, which is yet to recieve a title :)   I love posts that ask about casting! I have a degree in film and television from Texas Christian University (go Frogs!), and both movies and books were my first loves. So I guess I was a polygamist from a young age, a path I plan to continue once Zac Efron and Justin Timberlake both propose. Yes. Um. Back on the path. Casting! I’m going to share the five main characters from Broken at Love, as well as give you a sneak peek at the love interest from book 2 (still untitled, but it’s coming soon!). First, my Emilie Swanson would be Victoria Justice. She’s Hispanic, she’s gorgeous, and she has a mixture of innocence and troublemaking that just says Emilie to me. Quinn Rowland gave me a super hard time, actually! I found plenty of hot guys (going through those pictures was a horrible task, man! ;), but they just weren’t Quinn. This picture of Adam Gregory finally convinced me, though, and I like that he’s not a face that people associate with other characters. He’s got a nice strong jawline, can pull of angst and scruff, and could totally play the role of the bad boy. Ruby Cotton, Emilie’s best friend, was one of the most fun characters I’ve ever written—I certainly hope that we get to know her better in the future (wink). If I was casting her for a television show or movie, I would pick Candice Accola. She’s adorable but spunky, and she just seems like the kind of girl who wouldn’t mind dropping a few f-bombs along the way. Sebastian Blair, the boy we all love to hate, and the boy a surprising number of you beautiful weirdo readers want to know more about in the future. I’m kind of going out on a limb with this one and casting Chace Crawford, even though he’s a little taller than I described Sebastian. Quite frankly, I always wanted to see Nate go the way of the villain on Gossip Girl. It would have been a lot more interesting than just having him sleep with every inappropriate woman that crossed his past for five years. Then we have Toby Wright. He’s kind of a nice guy, but maybe he made a few bad decisions in Broken at Love that he couldn’t quite fix…but that doesn’t mean he should never find a love of his own, right? So, Zach Roerig is my pick for the All-American boy who tries to do the right thing. Typecasting? Maybe. But we know he’ll probably be free for a new project soon. Last, I’d like to introduce Cole Stuart, who will be appearing in the next book as a potential love interest! He’s Scottish royalty (I know, right?), a star swimmer, and takes a very different few than Quinn on women, sex, and relationships. The question is, can he find a girl at Whitman who appreciates that kind of worldview? Meet Cole (played in my mind by Aaron Tveit, who stole my heart in Les Miserables). What do you guys think? This is all coming out of my mind, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on who you’d cast in a Broken at Love movie, or a Whitman University television series!  Ruby



   Sebastian   



Toby    And our newcomer, Cole.... 

 If you haven't already, I hope you'll pick this book up!! I am *EAGERLY* awaiting book 2 so um Lyla *COUGH COUGH* Hurry your ass up!! :) 
Kindle ÷ Nook ÷ iBooks ÷ Kobo ÷ Paperback (Amazon) ÷ Paperback (B&N)   Emilie & Quinn Bonus Scene



My stomach tightened and flipped, making me sweaty and vaguely nauseous. For the first time
in months, it had nothing to do with an early morning hangover and everything to do with a
woman.
It was almost strange that I had never been to Emilie’s room after all we’d been through.
The memory of the day we’d first slept together, when I’d promised to pick her up right here
where I stood, increased the empty feeling in my gut.
“Get it together, Rowland,” I muttered under my breath, then jabbed the buzzer.
A moment later, a girl’s disembodied voice wafted out of the intercom. “I’m late, what do
you want?”
I rolled my eyes at Ruby’s blunt answer and the tension immediately unwound in my neck. I
could handle a smart mouth with a lot more ease than I could handle kindness and love.
“Ruby, it’s Quinn.”
Silence and static crackled over the intercom for at least thirty seconds, but I was determined
to wait her out. It had been two months. One more day and I’d lose what remained of my mind.
“You may as well go away, dickface. No one in this house is ever sleeping with you again.”
My pride urged me to protest, but I bit my tongue. That in itself told me I’d made the right
decision today. That I was ready. “I don’t want to sleep with any D.E.’s this morning, I only
want an address.”
“Nice fucking try.”
More silence. Impatience fisted my hands at my sides and sent my foot tapping against the
cement porch. Sweat beaded up on my forehead in the late June heat. This time I relented first,
more desperate to see Emilie’s face with every minute that ticked by. I could find her without
Ruby, but this was the fastest way. And I was in a hurry. “Did you say you were late for
something?”
She didn’t answer, but a moment later the front door of the Delta Epsilon house swung open
and she slipped outside, a pretty standard glare shooting my direction. Her long blond hair piled
atop her head, strands falling around her face and down her back in a way that had to be on
purpose—I’d watched enough girls get ready for tennis matches to know that those perfect little
camera-ready curls didn’t come loose on their own—wearing cotton shorts that showed off her
legs and a tight Whitman U t-shirt that showed off her smallish boobs.

“I’m late for rehearsal, and I’m not telling you where Em is so that you can fuck with her
head again.”
“You don’t give her enough credit.”
Her mouth fell open and her arms crossed over her chest. “I can’t even believe you have the
balls to stand there and say that to me.”
“I have the balls to do a lot of things.”
She wrinkled her nose and started to push past me. Me and my goddamn cocky mouth. I
reached out a hand and rested it lightly on Ruby’s arm, half-expecting her to punch me, but she
only jerked loose.
“I’m sorry. You’re late for rehearsal. Can I offer you a ride?” I gestured to the Town Car
idling at the curb, my heart climbing into my throat. I wanted to shake the answer out of her, but
trying to force Ruby to comply with my wishes would be about as easy as taking out the top
seeded Spaniard at the French Open.
Indecision warred on her classically pretty face, her pale cheeks already red from the heat,
and she tried to glance surreptitiously at her phone to check the time. Instead of waiting, I tapped
on the car’s roof. Leo hopped out, came around, and held the door.
Ruby glowered. “Fine. But only because it’s fucking hot, and I’ll be a sweaty enough mess
after three hours of rehearsing outside.”
She slid into the car and I followed, giving Leo a tight nod of thanks and instructions to
drive to the park as he closed the door behind us. Ruby slid across the seats until she sat as far
away from me as possible.
“Are you dating a fellow cast member?” It took all of my concentration not to go right for
the information I wanted. Ruby might be as prickly as a fucking cactus when it came to me, but
she was still a woman. They loved talking.
“It’s none of your business.”
“You look lovely. I’m sure he’ll be ready to go soon, if he isn’t already.”
“Cut the shit, Quinn. You want me to give you Emilie’s address. Why?” Real curiosity
burned behind the contempt in her icy blue gaze, infecting me with the barest amount of hope.
“I love her.”

She shrugged, glancing out the window as though the weather was more interesting than my
declarations of love. “Yeah, well, that’s old news. You fell for her six months ago and still let her
go, so what’s different now?”
“Everything. What I told you in The Grind that day, that she was better off without me…I
believed it. I was a mess—my dad rejecting me, Sebastian’s blackmail—”
“Your own poor little rich boy bullshit,” she finished.
I winced. “Yes. And Emilie was always too good for me. She always will be.”
“You shouldn’t go to law school, because you suck at closing arguments.”
“Ruby.” Our eyes met. It took every ounce of courage I’d managed to scrape together over
the past several weeks to let her see the desperation and pain, the grief and loss, tumbling around
inside me, but I did. “I can’t bear another day. I haven’t been with a girl since she left, or thrown
a party, or seen my dad, or done anything at all except try to salvage my future. To build
something—someone—Emilie deserves to stand beside. I’m not quite there, but I need her.
Today. Not tomorrow.”
To my surprise, tears pricked my eyes. A lump in my throat burned as I swallowed, trying to
get control before Ruby kicked me while I was down, but she only stared.
“You haven’t had sex for two months? You?”
A tired smile found my lips, and I found it was genuine. “Trust me, Ruby, after you’ve had
the real deal, everything else seems like a waste of time.”
“You have to give me a few things in return. If I tell you.”
The wariness I’d acquired during weeks of meeting with investors and accountants returned,
and I shrugged into it like a favorite game day outfit. “Okay.”
“You have to love her, Quinn. Like, the kind of love where you’ll cry when she walks down
the aisle, and think she’s beautiful when she’s all fat and knocked up, and hold her hand when
you’re eighty. Emilie’s special. She deserves that. I don’t know if you do. But I know she’ll
never love anyone the way she loves you.” She paused, wiping at her eyes. “Also, you could
introduce me to Sam Bradford, if you want.”
I snorted and Ruby giggled, and for the first time it seemed like maybe the two of us had
something in common. Maybe not much, but we both adored Emilie, and that made us sort of friends.

“Deal.” I stuck out my hand. “I love her, Ruby. If I didn’t, if I wasn’t sure this could really
work, I’d leave her alone.”
“I believe you.”
Leo pulled up at the entrance to the park. The car rolled to a stop, and Ruby dug around in
her messenger bag for a pen and a piece of paper, then handed me an address on the Upper East
Side.
She hung onto it for a minute, our hands connected by the slip of paper, until our eyes met
again. “I’m glad it’s you, Quinn. You’re a total douchecanoe sometimes but you two just seem to
fit.”
Ruby got out of the car without another word or a backward glance. As she broke into a trot
across the grass, I rolled down the privacy screen and met Leo’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
“The airport, Leo. Quickly.”
My arms twitched with the need to hold her again. All of the confessions I’d bitten back
before burned the back of my throat, aching to be said. I wanted to see her face, to kiss her lips,
to hear her say again that she wanted to be mine.
I only hoped I wasn’t too late.


And last but certainly not least.... ;)

Broken At Love Epilogue


More Soon My Brats ;)

Tam










 

*Book Blitz - Going Under by S. Walden*

Hi Brats :)

Going Under by S. Walden is another amazing book that I've read this month. It has some very dark & intense themes throughout the story but Summer did a fantastic job of tying it all together.



    Synopsis:  Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.

Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.

(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence.)
~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the suicide of her best friend, Brooke Wright moves schools with only 2 goals - stay out of trouble & forgive herself for betraying her best friend. She's the only one who knows why her best friend killed herself so when she moves to Charity Run High School, where her best friend attended school, she is determined to redeem herself by bringing justice to the people responsible for pushing her best friend to commit suicide.

Brooke sets out to expose her swim team & their "Fantasy Slut League" but she believes the only way to do it is become one of the "unsuspecting victims". Her plan is borderline madness & what she never counted on was an unexpcted love interest, Ryan, who has a bigger role to play in what's going on in the swim team than she realises.

When she realises the error in her plan, she decides to change her game plan...Unfortunatley, she's already in over her head & when the people she wants to expose find out, the unthinkable happens to Brooke. It takes the same life-changing tragedy to happen to Brooke that happened to her best friend months earlier for justice to be done. Brooke paid a price but was it worth it?

Ryan doesn't feature much, although they are dating, until Brooke learns where Ryan fits in with the swim teams activities. She not only has to deal with what happened to her but now she has to deal with with Ryan's inability to be honest with her, especially when he could've warned her about the lengths the swim team members will go to to protect their secret.

Summer did an incredible job of writing about something extremely sensitive & did so without detracting from the raw emotion of Brookes journey. The story flows beautifully & has you on the edge of your seat all the time. Although Brooke & Ryan get their happy ending, I would not recommend this book to anyone who has experienced any form of sexual violence.

The content warning regarding this book *CAN NOT* be taken *LIGHTLY*. The themes are very dark & the recommendation that this is for mature audiences should be adhered to.

**10 BRAT STARS**

A Guest Post from S. Walden....


People like to ask me where I get my ideas for stories.
“From you,” I reply, and they look confused. And then the confusion turns to suspicion.
“Oh really?” they ask tentatively.
“Mmhmm,” I reply. I drum my fingers on my writer’s notebook. (Well, okay. I don’t have a writer’s notebook. I store everything in my head. So I drum my fingers on my head.)
“Sooo . . . what do you have in there?” they ask.
“You’ll find out in my next book.” I smile and wink.
They’re getting scared. “Were you at Kroger last week? Did you see me in the bakery? I swear to God I didn’t do what you think you saw! It was somebody else! Please don’t put that in your book!!”
“Oh, I saw you all right. And it’s sooo going in my book,” I reply.
“You writers!” they scream. “You think you can slap a disclaimer on your books and write whatever you want!”
“Can’t we?”
The truth may shock you. It may scare you. It may piss you off. But your favorite writer? Well, she most likely got some ideas in that favorite book of yours from spying on people. Maybe even you. That’s right. Flat-out, creepy-but-trying-to-look-nonchalant-about-it spying. And it happens every second of the day. You’re just not aware of it.
We’re sponges, see? We soak up everything we come into contact with. Smells, sounds, tastes, conversations. We store these tidbits away (either in our heads or in notebooks) to later develop into characters or plot ideas. Because the bottom line is this: we can only infuse so much of ourselves and our experiences into our characters and stories before they turn utterly tedious or narcissistic. One of my favorite things about Brooke in Going Under is that (aside from her foul mouth) that girl is nothing like me. (And for the record, I like her a whole lot better!)
So who do I spy on? Where do my ideas come from? Well, all over. I’m acquiring ideas all the time (and I should really start writing them down instead of relying so heavily on my memory). One I’ve been trying to work into a story for a long time comes from an acquaintance who described a church for me she used to attend. One located in the deep South. One with a preacher who liked to stand up at the pulpit and call people out for their transgressions during the service:
“Pete! Jimmy saw you down at Pumpkin’s Bar last Friday! Now we all of us in this congregation know that you have an alcohol problem, son! So what were you doin’ at Pumpkin’s?”
All eyes on Pete. Poor, poor Pete.
“Darlene! I done told you to stop gossipin’ about Jimmy’s wife behind her back!”
Jimmy’s wife looks outraged.
“If you’ve got somethin’ to say to her, say it to her face! But make sure you say it in a loving, Christ-like way, of course.”
Yeah, so I’m trying to work that in because it’s too hilarious to be true, but it’s so freaking true. And stories like these are precisely why writers spy. We soak up these events, these real-life people/caricatures, these conversations because they make delicious stories. They add what our imaginations can’t. And when you write realistic fiction, you need that. The world around you becomes your candy store of ideas, and you begin to discover that reality is pretty crazy.
I love reading reviews of realistic fiction that state, “Oh, that isn’t very realistic,” or “That could never happen.” Wanna make a bet? That story you just read is a collection of soaked up people and events sprinkled with the ideas of the author. It may not be one hundred percent true, but it’s pretty darn close.
So the next time you’re out and about, you might want to look over your shoulder. Go ahead and let your eyes dart around. Think twice before you do what you’re just about to do. Because we’re watching. The notebooks are open, people. We’re watching and we’re jotting.
Totally. Creepy.
  The Genre Dilemma

 I haveno idea what types of books I write, so I file them under genres like “Mature YA” and “New Adult.” I don’t even really understand these genres (and I suspect no one else does either), but they sound good. And I know they have something to do with older teens and people in their twenties. And they usually include some bad language and risqué situations/themes. So I guess my stories sort of fit, like shoving a size 8 foot into a size 6 shoe.

The problem? I write about ultra mature/ultra taboo topics. And so far they’ve involved teenagers. So you have the “f” word. And you have teens. And you have something really taboo like rape. “F” word + teens + rape = NO GENRE. And I will not classify them as Adult fiction. I refuse because I truly believe they are not (but adults are more than welcome to read them, of course).
 
New Adult is by far the closest, but even that genre requires . . . oh, I don’t even know what you call it. Mild restraint? Or maybe it doesn’t. I don’t know. What I do know is that I’ve yet to come across a book about teenagers that just puts it all out there. Raw. In your face. Makes you completely uncomfortable. Maybe outraged. “This is a book for teens?! How dare she! She is an irresponsible woman! She’s sending the wrong message!” (Man, I’ll know I’ve made it when I get a review like that.)
 
And it’s not like I’m trying to push the envelope. I just write about real things, and I say it in a real way. So it’s probably going to make you shift around in your seat until you find a comfortable position. Or maybe you’ll never find a comfortable position, and then you can write a review like the one mentioned above. I won’t be offended. I swear.
 
I’m not going to lie and say it’s not frustrating being a genre-confused writer. I feel lost. I’m that sad kid on the playground wandering around by myself with my face turned up to the sky. “Where are my friends? My genres? Who am I?” It’s all very existential crisis when I haven’t the time for it. I need to be writing. And once I’m finished writing, I need to have a genre to put it in.
 
So right now you’ll see “New Adult.” When enough people yell at me and say my content is too mature for “New Adult,” then I guess you’ll see “Adult.” Or maybe I’ll stick with New Adult just to be spiteful. Or maybe I’ll create a new genre.
 
How about the “You Know . . .Whatever” genre? ~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Soon Brats :)  Smooches Tam

*Cover Reveal Chaos...*

Hi Brats :)

As always it's been chaos over at TheSecretBookBrat HQ :) I've been setting up the Facebook Pgae (The Secret Book Brat) & arranging the Blog Tour for This Love Of Mine, the new New Adult Contemporary Romance Novel written by a fellow brat, Amanda Bennett :)

In between I've been reading... A LOT :) But I wanted to get caught up on some of the covers that have come out :)

This Love Of Mine by Amanda Bennett (Due out April 18th)

  Synopsis  I needed an escape. An escape from my momma, a woman who cared more about herself than her own daughter. A woman who couldn't stand the sight of me since my father left. A boyfriend who was nothing but trouble. Trouble that I couldn't say no to.

Unfortunately, leaving them both would prove to be either the best decision I could ever make, or the biggest mistake of my life.

My plan was to escape to the one place I always felt safe. A place where life is simple and quiet, and a place where I could finish my senior year of high school unscathed. Abernathy, Texas was my second home, and my grandparents were the parents I aways wanted. There was no one around this one horse town to complicate my life any further, or at least that's what I thought. That was, until I met Madison Raine.

He held the power to turn my peaceful escape upside down and inside out with just one look. He was beautiful, in every sense of the word and with that beauty, came trouble. There were a million reasons why I should stay away from him, but none of them seemed to matter when I caught sight of those emerald green eyes. It was becoming clear that staying away from Madison would be harder than I had anticipated.

A past like mine never fully disappears, until you find yourself faced with the irreparable truth that sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands, consequences be damned.

Kayla James (KJ) was everything I never knew I wanted. This was the last summer I would be on the farm before I headed off to college, and meeting her was the last thing I expected. I didn't know what had brought her here, and I honestly didn't care. I had my own things to deal with and a relationship wasn't one of them. Little did I know that this girl, would wind up being exactly what I needed in every way possible.

Life hasn't always been easy, and telling my grandparents that I was going to college in another state was going to be the death of me, but it was something I needed to do. I needed a life outside of Texas, one where no one knew who I was or what I had lost. Between baseball and my band, I thought I had it made.

All it took was one look into those baby blues and I was a goner. I ended up needing her like I needed air to breathe, and everything inside of me wanted to be with her regardless of the outcome. How do you choose between love and life, and convince the one person who trusts no one, to take a chance on you?

(This is book #1 of three in The Raine Series. It contains mature language and situations  One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker (Due out 11 June) 
   Synopsis Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows. ABOUT K.A. TUCKER: Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures. LINKS: Blog: http://www.katucker.blogspot.ca/
Website: http://www.katuckerbooks.com/
Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/K.A.Tucker.Author?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathleenatucker
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4866520.K_A_Tucker One Tiny Lie Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17302495-one-tiny-lie?ac=1 Atria: http://imprints.simonandschuster.biz/atria  More Soon my Brats :)  Tam  xxx  

*Second Chance Boyfriend Blog Tour*

Hi Brats :)

In case you missed it yesterday, TheSecretBookBrat took part in the Second Chance Boyfriend Blog Tour :) The page for the tour has been taken down but I've posted it for ya'll to see here :)

Tam :)

xxx

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Yes - Second Chance Boyfriend is *FINALLY* here **SQUEEEE** And I'm super excited to be taking part in the Second Chance Boyfriend Blog Tour :) ( a Rafflecopter giveaway )







When we were first introduced to Drew and Fable, it was impossible not to fall in love with their story... For the first time it was the guy in the story who needed rescuing and Drew's vulnerability is part of his allure.

When I opened One Week Girlfriend, it was under the impression that it was a stand alone.... That was probably the first time I was happy to be disappointed - because one book of Drew + Fable simply wasn't enough. So, that brings me to how One Week Girlfriend ended...

Dear Fable,

My worst enemy is behind me because of you.
And there’s still a lot left for me to explain.
Right now, all I can think about is you.
So many things in my life confuse me and…
Hurt me— except you.
Maybe we can be together again someday.
All I really want is you, but I can’t do this now.
Losing you will be the hardest thing I’ve dealt with yet.
Loving you might be a mistake. Drawing you into my will
Only hurt you. And I refuse to do that.
Will you ever forgive me?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I love you.

Drew *

This was my *WTF* moment....And then I realised it can only mean one thing... A SECOND BOOK :)

I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC for Second Chance Boyfriend and finished it in a day! Drew + Fable's story continues, starting off with...

Fable
Two months. I haven’t seen or heard from him in two freaking months. I mean, who does that to a person? Who spends the most intense week of their life with another human being and shares their most intimate thoughts, their craziest, darkest secrets, has sex with a person—and we’re talking amazing, earth-shattering sex—leaves them a note that says I love you and then bails? I’ll tell you who. Drew I’m going to kick him in the balls next time I see him Callahan. I’ve moved on.

Fable has tried her best to move on from Drew, who after two long months, still hasn't made contact (What the f*** are you thinking Drew??).. Enter Colin...A sexy, older man who seeks Fable out at her workplace... (When I first read the part where Fable descibes him, I sent Monica a message & asked why Christian Grey has made an appearance in Second Chance Boyfriend)
Colin, in some roundabout way, brings Drew + Fable back together and after their much awaited reunion... They live happily ever after.... The End...

Ha. Gotcha :)

After Drew has had some time to deal with the *WHOPPER* of a bombshell dropped by his evil stepmonster Adele, he starts focusing on proving to Fable that she can trust him... Together they learn to navigate their 'new beginning' and come to understand the true meaning of being a couple, a team.

In a turn of events, this time it's Fable who needs Drew and he readily comes to her rescue when Fable is forced to take on more responsibility than anyone her age should ever have to - she becomes 'mom' to her younger brother Owen. Just when you think they've finally caught a break, Drews psycho b**** of a stepmonster comes back into the picture, hell bent on having a future with 'her Andrew'.. (Like Eeew lady, you need help!!) Fortunately, she gets what she deserves...( I won't say more because that'll ruin the "YESSSSS" moment when you read what happens to her!!)

And Drew + Fable get their happy ending <3

Monica Murphy is an incredible writer with a talent for creating modern day fairytales. Most of us grew up watching Disney movies like Cinderalla, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Repunzel ect which all teach us to believe in fairytales and even magic. Then we grow up and realise that life isn't that simple, fairytales as we know them aren't real... Until One Week Boyfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend <3

Monica has made me want to believe in fairytales again, only this time its Drew + Fable's fairytale <3

I gave Second Chance Boyfriend 4.5 stars.... I took away the 0.5 because it ended, and I wasn't ready for it to end... :)
























Now, when it comes to reading a book like Second Chance Boyfriend, I love being able to put faces to the characters! That's why I asked Monica to pop by with a special guest post about her Dream Cast and why she chose them :) Enjoy :)


Second Chance Boyfriend Dream Movie Cast
Thanks Tamsyn for having me on the blog today!! **hugs**

This is the toughest question on the planet. I must confess…while writing both One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend, I never once envisioned anyone as Drew and Fable. No actors, no celebrities, no models, no nothing. Drew and Fable came to me fully formed in my head. For instance, I just happened to get lucky and found an image for the cover of OWG that worked perfectly to embody my characters.
So what if a big movie producer came to me and said, “O.M.G. Ms. Murphy, we are DYING to make a movie featuring your series! And we want YOU to cast the movie, so please. We’re begging you to pick whatever actors you want to play the roles!”
(Hey, I know it would never go down like this but it’s my dream and I’m making it happen the way I want it to.)
After much thought (and trolling the internet looking at pictures of gorgeous actors and actresses), I’ve chosen my dream cast. But I only casted a few characters so here we go:
Owen: Why is it so hard to find a good looking teenage boy with blond hair? It’s about impossible people. So I stumbled upon Burkely Duffield (IMDB page Adele: Hey if I can make my dream cast, I’m going for it. I can totally envision Angelina Jolie playing Adele. I mean, she’s beautiful and she can play a villainess most excellently. Ooh boy…
Colin: Ryan Gosling! Oh my word, that answer came to me like a lightning bolt of inspiration. Ryan would make the perfect Colin though he’s a little older than what I envisioned, still. He works. He TOTALLY works. Swoon. (Did anyone else fall totally in love with Ryan in Crazy Stupid Love? Cos I sure did.)
Jen: Fable’s new friend. I named her after a reader who won a contest (hi Jen!)! And she turned into such an important character, one I want to write more about. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I can see Mila Kunis playing Jen. Again, a little older than what I envisioned for my Jen but she works almost perfectly.
Fable: This was hard. I was torn between two actresses but finally went with Amanda Seyfried. I think she could play the tough yet vulnerable Fable pretty well. Though I must admit…Amanda will forever be silly, stupid Karen in Mean Girls in my mind. God, I love that movie.
And finally…
Drew: I labored over this choice as well. I wanted to get it just right. And though I used to think this actor was way too pretty and sorta creepy in his prettiness, he has certainly come into all that beauty and now he’s just…hot. So Zac Efron (I cannot believe I’m saying this, my sister-in-law will be so excited at this choice!), he would make the perfect Drew Callahan. ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Thank you so much for stopping by Brats, I really hope you enjoy Second Chance Boyfriend as Much as I did!! :) Tam :)  ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Author Bio: Monica Murphy writes books with boys and kissing in them. She also likes to read books with boys and kissing in them. Writer of new adult contemporary romance-ish stuff. Mom and wife. Native Californian.
Links:
Website: http://www.monicamurphyauthor.com/#
Blog: http://missmonicamurphy.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor
Facebook Drew + Fable: http://www.facebook.com/SGHolster/posts/509631945744684#!/DrewAndFableOfficial?fref=ts
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy
SECOND CHANCE BOYFRIEND Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17316075-second-chance-boyfriend?ac=1
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Monica-Murphy/e/B00AVPYIGG

*Cover Reveal: Ambrosia by Erin Noelle*

Hi Brats :)

I am so freakin excited for the release of the much anticipated sequel to Metamorphosis, written by the very talented Erin Noelle :)

I know everybody is dying to read Ambrosia & to find out who Scarlett will finally end up with - Mason or Ash! This has been quite the debate from the beginning & has resulted in a frezy between Team Mason & Team Ash.... Personally, I'm Switzerland, although I have my suspicions ;) Let's hope that Erin loves us enough to write a book for whoever doesn't end up with Scarlett ;) *ERIN, I'M HINTING!! ;)*

So here ya go Brats.... The cover for Erin Noelle's Ambrosia.... 


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




AMBROSIA TEASER #1
(All At Once ~ The Fray)
MASON:
I knew I needed to get her out of this city. It was only a matter of time before punk-ass emo boy showed up to reclaim her heart. The one he had already destroyed once before. I couldn’t allow her to forgive him, because once she did, she would be his again. I wouldn’t let that happen. I knew I couldn’t ask her to go with me after she had just come back to get settled and pick up the pieces of her life, so I needed to convince her that she couldn’t be without me, so that she would ask to come. God, I prayed she would ask to come with me. If I could remove him from the equation, I felt confident that she and I could make this work. She had no idea how much I needed her. She was the only one that could fulfill the emptiness inside me, and if it wasn’t her, I knew how it easy it would be to go back to the way I was before the day I met her~ partying, a little drinking, a little more drugs, and a helluva lot more women. All of that shit was a temporary plug, but she was a permanent fix.

I had scoured the place all night to make sure he hadn’t shown up. I was hoping after last night he had gotten the point that she wasn’t interested in forgiving him and he would just leave her the fuck alone, but I knew that wasn’t the case. I saw the look in his eyes when I stood there holding her, and it wasn’t the look of defeat. Luckily for me though, he had at least stayed away tonight. The more time I had with her before he tried to weasel his way back in, the better my chance to convince her that our love was real.

The guys and I jumped up on the stage and greeted the large crowd. I absolutely loved performing in front of all of these people- the feeling was indescribable, an adrenaline-rush that was unmatched by anything except being inside my angel. I had changed our usual line-up a bit, so that I could sing the first song for Scarlett. Before we started, I looked over at her, sitting between Mina and Max, and blew her a kiss. Laughing, she reached up and acted like she snagged it out of the air. God, she was fucking adorable. With that, Cruz and I gave each other the look and started All At Once. I sang for her like I had dreamed about doing for months. Her eyes were fixed on me and I could see the desire growing inside of her. Towards the end of the song, I turned around to watch the guys rock out the instrumental portion and suddenly, I felt the atmosphere in the room shift. I quickly spun back around and looked over at Scarlett. She was still looking at me, but her eyes told me she knew who was standing behind her. Fuck. Me.

AMBROSIA TEASER #2
SCARLETT
Gravity ~ Sara Bareilles
After he situated himself next to me and handed me one of the bottles, I opened my mouth to say something, but my mind drew a blank. I didn’t know how to even start the conversation we so desperately needed to have. We were both looking forward, staring at the blank television screen.
“Do you love him?” Mason asked expressionless, never turning his head.
“Yes.” I admitted.
“Does he want you back?”
“He never had me.”
He snorted and took a long pull from his beer.
“What? What was that for?” I asked.
“He’s always had you, Scarlett. I just had you on loan.”

  AMBROSIA TEASER 2.5 SCARLETT You Still Love Me ~ Tyrone WellsHe slowly made his way up my body, kissing and biting every so often, until we were eye-to-eye. I was amazed at his strong, handsome features. I loved the edginess that his tattoos and piercings added. But mostly, I was in awe of his ability to love and forgive. As if he could read my mind, he gently kissed me. “I do love you, Angel. I never stopped.” I closed my eyes and kissed him back, trying to hide the tears that welled up in my eyes. I didn’t deserve someone as wonderful as my Mase. He knew that I couldn’t give him my entire heart, but he took me anyway. I couldn’t mess this up, I wouldn’t get another chance.

Additional Scenes from Metamorphosis

ASH POV
First Time ~ Lifehouse

“Ash! Get your ass up! We are leaving in half an hour!” Jess screamed for the third time in as many minutes.
Ugghh… Maybe I wouldn’t go tonight. I could just stay here and enjoy the peaceful silence,” I thought as I continued to remain buried under the cool gray sheets. Seconds later, the door flew open and my feisty, five-foot-nothing roommate stood in the doorway with a scowl on her face and her hands on her hips.
“Come on, Ash, we haven’t seen you in almost a month. Come hang out with us. You’ve got all weekend to sleep before classes start,” Jess pleaded as she walked towards my bed. She sat next to me and pulled the pillow out from under my head. God, she could be so annoying. “Surely one or five of your bimbos are not-so-patiently waiting to show you how much they missed you. I’ll even be decent to them tonight.” I smiled sincerely at her, knowing that she considered her offer to be quite a sacrifice.
“I’m tired, Jess. I’ve been waking up at the crack of dawn for the past three weeks. Plus, you know that flying drains me. I am just going to stay here and work on some sketches and go to bed early,” I grumbled and moved my head to another pillow. She quickly snatched that one out from under me too. Really fucking annoying.
“I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer. Take a shower, get dressed, and let’s go. We don’t have to stay long if you don’t want to; you know Meg will probably want to come home early. Jacob and Nicholas want to see you too, plus my cousin Evie and her roommate that just moved here are coming with us. I want you to meet them.” Jess slid off the bed and just as she started to walk away, she grabbed ahold of the covers and took off running down the hall, giggling like a little kid.
I rolled off the bed, growling irritably, and made my way to the bathroom that Meg and I shared. I knew that Jess wasn’t going to let me stay, so I figured I might as well get ready and make the best of it. The quicker we got there, the quicker we could come home. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to bother with one of my “bimbos,” as Jess called them. Okay, who was I kidding? I was actually deciding if I should text a sure thing to meet me there or take my chances that the talent selection would be worthy. I needed someone to take good care of me tonight; staying with my sister had put a damper on my usually, very active sex life.
Don’t get me wrong, I still got my share of ass while I was in California, but I had to be a bit more inventive logistically- I had become well acquainted with one particular bathroom stall in Duke’s, a restaurant on Highway 1 or PCH, as locals referred to it. Typically, I had a little more class than that, but desperate times had called for desperate measures. After going without any the first two days of my visit, I thought I might very well die. Jacking off in the shower wasn’t helping anything; I needed hot, moist female flesh wrapped around my cock in a hurry. I was a guy that usually had exceptionally high standards and I enjoyed the hunt as much as the kill, but in that state of frustration, I was ready to fuck the first willing participant I could find. I had lucked out that night when I went to the bar to a grab a couple of drinks and escape the craziness of my nephews. There were a couple of cute girls already there when I arrived and it took no less than twenty minutes before I had one of them bent over in that over-sized stall, ramming myself into her and finding that sweet release shortly after. A few nights later I had her friend in the same position, and for the rest of my trip I visited that bar at least every other day, never leaving disappointed.
The hot water abruptly disappeared and the icy water pelting my skin quickly brought me back from my happy memory. A major drawback of living with two females was that they always used up all of the hot water. I quickly rinsed the remaining soap off my body and got out to get dressed. I heard additional voices coming from the living room when I came out of my closet, so I had assumed that the other two girls had arrived. Hopefully the roommate girl would be hot and make my search tonight quick. I already knew what Evie had looked like from pictures in Jess’ room ~ basically just like Jess and that was just weird to me. I could never hook up with her because it would be like looking at Jess, and I just couldn’t go there… not after everything the two of us had gone through. I shook my head at myself, I was not going to ruin my improving mood thinking about family drama. I was just happy that Jess and I had remained best friends throughout all of these years. It was kind of funny that with my well-deserved reputation of being a man-whore, I lived with two very attractive females that neither of which found me sexually appealing. My father would be so disappointed if he knew…
After throwing on a light blue button down shirt and a pair of khaki cargo shorts, I ran my fingers through my hair and slipped my feet in my brown flip flops. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and noticed that I had forgotten to shave in my rushed bathroom trip. Oh well, I just hoped that the stubble on my face paired with the dark tan I had developed gave me the rugged surfer look instead of the homeless, guy under the bridge appearance.
Getting into my charming, playboy extraordinaire mindset, I made my way down the hall, ready to enjoy myself some Texas girls once again. My cock jerked in excitement at the mere thought and I could feel the blood start pumping through my body. Jess was right, I needed to get out and have fun with my friends and release some of the stress that had built up in my day of travel. I heard Jess say something about someone never having gone to a party or on a date as I got closer to the living room. I didn’t know who or what she was talking about.
“What’s this I hear about never having been on a date or to a party?” I asked as I walked into the room. Two steps in and I froze in place. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for what I saw sitting on my couch, or rather I should say who I saw sitting on my couch staring back at me. For the first time since I could remember, I was stunned speechless. I couldn’t take my eyes off of hers. I had to be dreaming, she didn’t exist in real life ~ she was a product of my imagination.
Jess called out from the kitchen, “It’s about time Ash, my God! Come meet my cousin Evie and her roommate, Scarlett. Hurry up!” Scarlett. Her name was Scarlett.
Scarlett quickly turned around towards Evie, as if she was embarrassed, and I found myself walking towards her. I needed to see her face again. Jess came around the corner from the kitchen with a couple of beers and she explained how Scarlett lived some crazy sheltered life and had never had any social life. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me ~she was a fucking virgin. How cruel could life be?
Awkwardly, I introduced myself to Evie, shaking her hand and using my last name. What in the hell? I couldn’t function normally with her being so close and staring at me like she could see straight through me to my ugly, tainted soul. I took a deep breath and turned towards Scarlett, nervous of what was going to happen when I touched her. Our eyes locked on one another, I grabbed her free hand that lay across her lap and held it delicately. Her skin felt like silk against mine and I had to will myself to open my mouth and speak.
“Scarlett, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well. I can see why your parents were hesitant about letting you out of their sight. If I had a daughter as stunning as you, I wouldn’t let her leave the house either.” What did I just say? Did I just say the word stunning? Could I be any lamer? It sounded like such a cheesy pick up line. I knew there was a reason I didn’t want to leave my bed tonight.
Unconsciously, I brought her hand up to my mouth and softly kissed her inner wrist. I had no idea what in the hell I was doing, I knew everyone was looking at me like I had lost my damn mind, but I needed to smell and taste her. It was like I had to prove with all five of my senses that she was really alive and sitting in front of me. When my lips touched her, an electric current like I’ve never felt pulsed through my body. I was pretty sure that she felt it too because I heard her quietly gasp and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth. I reached up with my other hand and freed the lip from her bite with my thumb, and that nearly sent me over the edge.
“Down boy!” Jess slapped me on the shoulder which jolted me from my trance. I let go of both her lip and her hand and took a few steps back. I was in so much trouble and I needed to put some space between us. The girl that I had sketched numerous times as my Psyche, the girl that served as my muse in the thesis I was working on, had literally walked out of my head and into my life. And unfortunately, as much as I wanted to explain to her, to show her all of my drawings that looked nearly identical to her, to tell her that I had envisioned her so that it must be some kind of fate that brought us together, I knew that I needed to leave her the hell alone. She was exactly what I had always imagined her to be ~ beautiful, pure, and innocent. I knew in the way she looked at me, that she felt a connection too, it was undeniable. But I had to do what was right for her~ I had to stay away from her. I would only corrupt, disappoint, and hurt her; after all, I was my father’s son. I wouldn’t do to her what he had done to my mom. I was the only one that could save her from me.

MASON POV
You’re Beautiful ~ James Blunt

Tonight is going to be good, I thought to myself as I stared at my reflection in the mirror one last time before heading out the door. Scratch that. Tonight was going to be fucking fantastic.
Call it a premonition, a hunch, whatever you want, but I could feel the nerves in my gut building in anticipation of something. I just wasn’t sure exactly what for. It definitely wasn’t about performing at my brother’s bar; I had been singing in front of crowds of people since before I could remember. The only time I got nervous when taking the stage now was if I knew that someone important might be watching or listening. Maybe that was it. Maybe a scout or a producer or someone with a connection to the music business would find their way to the old mechanic-shop-turned-bar that I considered my home away from home, and help Jobu’s Rum get our foot in the door, or rather, out the door. I could only hope, because I was more than ready to get the fuck out of Texas. There was nothing keeping me here anymore.
I grabbed my keys from the bar and flew down the two flights of stairs to my car. I folded my large body into the driver’s seat. This would definitely be the last sports car I ever owned. They were great to look at and were fast as shit, but I was way too big to fit inside comfortably. I needed to break down and go buy the Harley that I had been eyeing for a few months now. I would do that soon. I turned on some old school Beastie Boys with a beat that matched my spry mood and made the short drive over to the bar.
Cruz and Sebastian were already sitting at our table when I walked in. I wasn’t surprised that Aaron wasn’t here. Ever since he had started dating Sophie a few months ago, he was late for everything. They couldn’t keep their hands off of each other and apparently they often got side-tracked when trying to get dressed to go anywhere. I was jealous as hell at his happiness, but I wasn’t about to get on his ass about it until it interfered with something serious. I knew all too well that the honeymoon phase would wear off quickly and the next thing we knew, he would be running late because they were fighting over something irrelevant and petty. Relationships were for the fucking birds.
Seconds after taking my place on the barstool, a waitress set a beer on the table in front of me, making sure she rubbed her boobs against my back and arm in the process. I was pretty sure her name was Tiffany and I couldn’t remember if I had fucked her before or not. I didn’t think so- maybe that would change tonight. I flashed her one of my panty-dropping smiles with my “thanks” and she all but melted onto the floor. A good night indeed.
Led in by Sophie, Aaron finally showed up about half an hour later and the four of us quickly ran down the lineup for the night as we downed a few beers. Tiffany stopped by to “check on me” a few more times and I chuckled at her frustration by the other girls that had joined the table. To make sure she knew I was interested in hooking up later, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to me one of the times she walked by.
“Hey beautiful, you got plans when you get off tonight?” I whispered in her ear. She shook her head and I could see the pulse in her neck speed up. This was going to be too easy. Maybe I should just take her to one of the dressing rooms now and actually get some sleep tonight. As I pondered the thought, the band on stage announced they were about to play their last song. Well so much for that bright idea. “Good, don’t make any,” I said and lightly kissed her neck. I slid off my stool and gave the rest of the guys the “let’s go” nod. I smacked Tiffany’s ass as she walked away and that made her squeal like a twelve year old. God, I hope she didn’t make that awful noise when I fucked her later.

~.~ ~.~ ~.~ ~.~ ~.~ ~.~

The set was flowing nicely, even Aaron was able to pull his head out of his girlfriend’s ass long enough to concentrate on the music, when she walked in. I don’t know what it was about her that made me look at her the minute she stepped through the door, but it was like a light beckoning for my attention. I momentarily forgot the words to the song I was singing, and I hoped that no one except for the band would notice. I would’ve looked around to see other’s people’s reaction but I couldn’t draw my eyes away from her.
After I got back on track with the music, I watched her walk across the room, never once looking up at me almost as if she didn’t hear me. She was with two other girls that were pretty hot as well, but she was… angelic. I had seen many beautiful women before… shit, I still had sex with a Victoria Secret model on a regular basis, but there was something different about this girl that attracted me and it wasn’t just about her looks. Her outfit was anything but angelic. The black and red sheer/ lacy thing and tight ass jeans she had on screamed naughty girl, and I loved that long, dark, silky hair- it was perfect to wrap around my hands and pull during the throes… But there was something about her face that was so completely innocent, the way her eyes were darting around the room, looking at everything as if it was the first time she had ever been in public, trying to soak everything in. One of her friends was holding her hand and practically dragging her along. I chuckled to myself and nearly lost my place again. Okay, Rat, focus dumb ass. Stop acting like a little bitch.
I forced myself to look around the room at the rest of the crowd as that song ended and we began the next. I looked down at the group of females that were taking up the half of the dance floor closest to us. The same old group looked up at me, and I groaned internally. Some of them were borderline pathetic. I couldn’t help myself, I needed to see her again so I visually searched the area that she was headed and found her at the tables of one of the bands that had played earlier. She was standing off to the side while the blonde friend appeared to be introducing her and the other friend to the people at the table. Her shyness was adorable even from this distance and I wondered how easily I could make her blush.
Again I made myself look away and make eye contact with some of the other bar patrons. When Cruz began the opening chords of I Want You by Kings of Leon, one of our favorite covers to do, the women went wild. I have to admit, there was just something about this song that was so fucking fun to sing. There was nothing like finding a hot ass chic in the audience and looking into her eyes when I sang “A choke and a gag, she spit up and came back for more, And said I want you just exactly like I used to…,” I loved knowing that her panties were most likely getting all wet from it. It was always at that point of the night that I claimed my victory; the rest of it was just collecting my prize.
I returned my sight to where she was sitting and she was staring directly at me, open-mouth gaping. Oh, I was about to have some fun with this. I gave her a devilish grin and was going to give her my best seductive eyes but she looked away immediately. What the hell? I continued looking at and singing to her thinking that she was going to look back in my direction, but she never did. The blonde friend kept looking up at me and smiling and then leaning over and whispering to angel girl. I was ready for the set to be over with, quickly. I needed to go meet this girl and figure out what the deal was. Was this all just some hard-to-get play? Something told me no, but I had to find out more.
After we finished up and I showered and changed out of my sweaty clothes, I wasted no time in approaching her. She was still sitting in the same place, but as I got close to the table she jumped off of her stool and I heard her ask the friend, “Do you want to go to the bar with me to get another drink? I don’t feel like waiting for the server to come back around.” Her friend mumbled something about company and then she turned around and I got my first good look at her close up. I was dumbfounded. Sure, she was pretty. Most people would probably even say beautiful, but there was just something about her brown eyes that fascinated me. The sparkle in them was so vibrant, so pure… almost as if they were untainted by the real world.
“Hey, I’m Mason, but most people call me Rat,” I said sticking my hand out, finally breaking the silence. God, I sounded like such a fucking tool.
“Hi, I’m Scarlett. It’s nice to meet you, Mason,” she responded hesitantly and put her hand in mine. The feel of her skin against mine made me catch my breath.
“I overheard you saying that you were headed to get a drink as I walked up. Would you be interested in joining me for one at my table?” I hoped that my usual charming instincts, whatever the hell they were, were working because I felt like the biggest idiot and I didn’t even know why. Part of me hoped that she would say no just so I could go over to Tiffany and the night would be easy. What the hell was I doing over here anyway? It was still fresh in my head what the end result was the last time I felt like this around a girl.
Scarlett looked around the table until she made eye contact with the small Asian friend. They seemed to share some unspoken conversation and then she grabbed her purse and smiled at me, “I’d love to.” I was in so much trouble.
Back at the table I introduced Scarlett to the guys and Sophie, and her sweet shyness was evident. Everyone was giving me questioning looks, but I just smiled and shrugged. I wasn’t sure what I was doing either. She was so different from the kind of girl I usually hooked up with. This was going to get interesting. After making our way around the table, I sat on my stool and decided to do an initial test of the waters. She had let me hold her hand as we walked across the room, but I wasn’t sure how she was going to react to any more touching. Without asking, I grabbed her waist and pulled her onto my lap, leaving one arm wrapped around her waist. She stiffened a bit at first, but quickly relaxed and got comfortable on my leg. Her content smirk as if she was pleasantly surprised to like the closeness of our bodies, made me even more curious.
Tiffany brought over the two beers that I had hand signaled at her with a scowl across her face and slammed them on the table. I gave her a warning look not to push her attitude. She knew damn well not to act that way if she wanted to keep her job. I looked at Scarlett to see if she had noticed Tiffany’s behavior, but instead found her staring over at the pool table area. I wasn’t sure if she was just looking around in general or if she was looking at someone specific, but either way I wanted her attention back on me. I wasn’t quite sure what to say or what type of conversation to start up. I usually didn’t do much talking to chicks. So instead, I decided to really push my luck, and do what I do best. I placed my hands on either side of her face and pulled her eyes to look into mine. I couldn’t take it any longer, I had to taste that sweet mouth. I brought her lips to mine and tried to deliver the softest, most tender kiss that I could, but it was nearly impossible when I just wanted to devour her.
My tongue instinctively found her lips and ran lightly around the perimeter, silently requesting entrance. I needed some part of my body to be in some part of hers immediately. She whimpered and her lips separated granting me access. Her tongue felt like warm melted caramel against mine, and I nearly came in my pants when she flicked my lip ring with it. I had to pull away from her before I lost my mind. The things I had done with girls might make a porn star blush, so why in the world was a kiss making me feel so out of control. Because I had never kissed an angel before, that’s why.


**CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS :)**

More Soon my Brats :)

Tam

xxx

*Second Chance Boyfriend*

Hi Brats :)

Today, the Second Chance Boyfriend Blog Tour has made a stop here at TheSecretBookBrat :) I made a special page just for the tour so hop on over & take a peek :)

*Lost & Found - Nicole Williams*

Hi Brats :)

Taking a small break from my day to bring you the latest from the talented hands of Nicole Williams - Lost & Found, expected to be released on May 7th :)


 After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.   Excerpt:  I was supposed to be meeting one of the ranch hands from Willow Springs in the parking lot. I couldn’t remember his name, just that it began with a J and was one hundred and ten percent a cowboy name. I was supposed to link up with some total stranger, a man who worked as a ranch hand, after driving across a couple state lines on a Greyhound bus … and this was the first step towards proving my responsibility to my mother?

Yeah, that was messed up.

Tilting my head back, I searched the sky, half expecting the buzzards to be circling.
Man, even the sky was different here. Too big and too blue. Where I came from, the sky was gray on most days and on the rare day the cloud cover did shift, the sky was never quite blue. Almost like it couldn’t let go of the gray that consumed it more days than not.

I was just about to close my eyes and take a quick siesta and let Mr. Ranch-Hand-With-A-Gritty-Cowboy-Name wait, when a figure passed by me.
On a typical day, I was passed by hundreds, if not thousands of people. Passed by, passed over, passed something … so I don’t know why this particular figure caught my attention, but it did. Leaning up, I shielded my eyes from the sun and watched this “figure” that I couldn’t ignore like I could the others. After a second, I understood why.

The guy was wearing positively the tightest, most painted-on pair of jeans I’d ever seen a guy slide into. And I came from a generation where it was socially acceptable for guys to sport skinny jeans.
However, this cowboy in what I could only assume were a pair of faded Wranglers, had just secured the sash and crown in the Tightest Pants in the Universe title.

“Excuse me, Sir?” Tight pant boy said, tapping the shoulder of the employee I’d snapped at.

 He waited for the employee to turn around and acknowledge him before continuing.
“Yes,” the employee said, shaking Cowboy’s hand when he extended it.

“Is this the bus that came up from Portland?” Cowboy Tight Pants asked, glancing up at the windows like he was looking for someone.

“Sure is. Last passenger just got off a few minutes ago.”

The cowboy’s back was to me, although his back wasn’t exactly what I zeroed in on. It had nothing to do with ogling, lusting, or wanting to run my hands all over it … I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how those stitches were holding strong with pants that were two sizes too small cupping those butt cheeks.

“Was there a young woman on board? A girl about my age?” cowboy asked.

“There were lots of young women on board, Son,” the employee replied, doing a better job of masking his sarcasm than I would have.

“Do you have a description? Maybe a name?”

“I think she’s blonde, maybe strawberry blonde,” he began, tilting his neck to the side. “Petite, I’m guessing … I don’t know. I’ve only seen a picture of her that’s ten years old.”
My stomach fell a little.

“I’ve got her name right here,” the cowboy said, sliding a piece of paper out of his front pocket. I didn’t need to hear him say it, I already knew the name scratched down on that scrap of paper. “Rowen. Her name’s Rowen Sterling.”

My subconscious couldn’t decide what to curse first, so it mixed, matched and uttered a Shuk and a Fuit.

When my mom had told me I’d be getting a ride back to Willow Springs with a ranch hand whose name I’d forgotten, I’d pictured a scratching, spitting, old-timer like the town sheriff in one of those old westerns. Not some young, fit man who adhered to the tighter-the-better policy when it came to jeans selection.

I had yet to see his face, but from what I’d seen of his back, I already knew what to expect. And if I was a typical eighteen-year-old girl who liked the typical teenage girl things, I’m sure I’d be panting for an opportunity to catch a ride with Cowboy Montana in what I guessed was a big diesel truck that had four wheels in the back. I’d heard what those kinds of trucks were called, but couldn’t remember it. Where I came from, people didn’t need six tires when four did the job just fine.

Catching myself right before I let out a long sigh, I stood up and made my way over. No sense in stalling.

Stopping a few feet behind the vacuum-sealed ass, I cleared my throat. “Looking for Rowen Sterling?”

“Yeah,” Cowboy replied, turning my direction. “You know her?”

I gave a shrug. “Kind of.”

“Do you know where she is?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I replied, trying to get a look at his face, but with that huge-ass cowboy hat, combined with the position of the sun in the sky, his whole face was shaded. He could have been the thing of female fantasies. He just as easily could have been eyeless and toothless for all I could tell.

After a few more seconds of quiet, where I guessed he was waiting for me to add something else, he shifted. “Could you tell me where she is then?”

I glanced at the photo in his hand. He’d been right. It was almost ten years old to the day. Taken at my ninth birthday party. I was wearing the biggest, pinkest, most god-awful princess dress to have ever been created and I was blonde and beaming.
I was none of those things anymore.

This reaction ought to be fun to witness.

“She’s about two feet in front of you,” I said, now thankful that I couldn’t see his face because whether it was a ten or a zero or somewhere in between, I didn’t want to witness the shock and the cringe that was to come.

When you compared the young girl in the picture to the older girl that was me present day, a cringe seemed to be the standard response.

What I didn’t expect him to do was remove his hat and extend his hand. “Hey, Rowan,” he said, flashing a smile that almost made me flinch. I hadn’t been smiled at like that when meeting a stranger in a long time. “I’m Jesse. It’s nice to meet you.”

Jesse. That’s right. The cowboy J name that had slipped my mind was the name that I was certain I’d never again forget now. Not because his eyes were the same color as the sky, or because his light hair sort-of cascaded down his forehead like it knew just where to fall, or because of the dimples drilled deep into his cheeks from the continued smile. Nope, the reason I’d remember Jesse’s name from this day forward was because of the way he was looking at me. He didn’t study me like I was a freak or something that was different and scary. He looked at me like I was a human being, no different from himself, and yet unique just the same.

It was … staggering. It made me feel all light and floaty, too. For a girl who liked to keep her feet firmly on the ground and who, as a policy, didn’t do “floaty” this whole sensation was a tad overwhelming.

After I’d left his hand hanging in the air like the staggered idiot I was, he dropped it back to his side and lifted his other hand holding the picture towards my face. Studying the picture, then my face, his smile stretched higher. “Yep. You’re Rowan Sterling all right,” he said with certainty. Like he was able to see past my dyed black hair, nose ring, bright lipstick, and my inky black combat boots to find the little girl I’d once been.

** ** ** ** **

Can't wait for this!!

More soon my Brats :)

Tam :)

xxx