Kristi Cramer's Blog: Bounded in a Nutshell, page 3

Review of Crush by Vivienne Savage

This book in the Dawn of the Dragons series is such a fun story. Yes, there's some heavy stuff, with the whole idea that Nate must choose between his reincarnated brothers and his growing attracting to Chloe, and another event that I'm not going to spoil. But I wasn't prepared for the excellent injections of humor. Nate's internal dialog had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.

Did I mention that I loved Nate? In the first scene, when he shows up in his Navy whites I pictured a young Jon Bon Jovi - I think "Pete Emmett" was his character in the movie U-571. And I must say the vision got my heart rate up.

Astrid was wonderful, too. Strong and caring, and so confident even when she was treading into new territory. I loved how she pretty much wore her heart on her sleeve, and how they both were so honest with each other about their feelings. I liked some of the very endearing scenes between her and her family. Chloe and Saul seem like fun parents. I also loved the dynamic relationships of all the dragons. And Nate's brotherhood was multi-layered and fascinating.

The plot was both deep and lighthearted, if it is a nod to Romeo and Juliette, just know it is NOT a tragedy - although there was at least one... Well. No spoilers. You'll have to read it. It was layered enough that I did not figure out what was really going on until right before the reveal, and it's safe to say it kept me guessing much of the way.

And yes, there is some classic Savage spice to this story. One scene was told from a particular POV that I just loved. I can't say more without it being a spoiler, but just be prepared to sit back and enjoy.

So, let me sum up: Fun read with a great plot, totally worth reading - but in my opinion, you will want to have read the other books in the series, first. They just keep getting better and better. (The world building has grown so much since the first book - which was originally intended to be a one-off. If you have even the slightest enjoyment of Loved by the Dragon, know that these books get better with each story. Every one that comes out I think, no THIS ONE is my favorite...) 

Strong Women and Likable Characters

I was thinking about the fictionalized strong woman, recently. I consider myself to be a fan and supporter of strong women and humbly count myself among their number. I even have a Facebook group dedicated to strong women, so strong women—real and fictional—are near and dear to my heart.


The other day I was watching the movie Leap Year, and didn’t find the lead female to be particularly likable. I thought she was determined and spirited, but did I like her? Having seen it before, I knew by the end she'd be likable. Same with several Meg Ryan characters, notably Kate in Kate & Leopold, or Kate in French Kiss. And even Kristen Bell in When in Rome, Katherine Heigl in The Ugly Truth, or any number of Rom-Coms. Which right there is saying a lot. These strong women characters are so often portrayed in the romantic COMEDIES! (Okay, maybe I just notice it the most in Rom-Coms, when viewers are expected to root for the couple to end up together.)

I was wondering if I'd be able to tell when the gal in Leap Year became likable. What happened in the movie that made her relatable to me as a viewer? I think it was when she was running to make the train, in the rain, and fell down the hill and got covered in mud. This bedraggled woman showed me her humanity. She was torn down to the worst physical representation of a strong woman, and she broke down, but she still pulled herself together and moved forward. That made the respect I felt for her blossom into full-blown admiration, and from there I grew to like her.

Isn’t that what we do as strong women? It isn’t that we’re never down, never afraid, never broken. It’s that we get back up and move forward, often by ourselves, and make whatever has happened work for us. 

I just realized that a common factor in the movies I mentioned is that the women don’t have that bevy of girlfriends they can turn to for help and encouragement. These women are on their own, by their own design, and they deal with life on their own. They fall in love in spite of the men, and they don’t let the fact of that love get in the way of being strong. We like them by the end, and feel like they deserve the love of the man. But is it because of their strength, or their humanity and flaws?

This brings me to another question. Why does the strong woman have to be likable? How many times have you said, “Now there’s a woman I love to hate”? I’ve said that about plenty of male characters, and the actors who portray them. But women? At the moment, I can’t think of many. Mags Bennett in Justified . Cruella DeVille in 101 Dalmatians . I know I run into it more in novels. I like to think I’ve written a couple strong women villains, myself. (Angelisa in Last Second Chance , and Tawnia in the Bonnie Isles Trilogy .) But they're villains, not anti-heroes. Why aren't we expected to like strong women characters in movies and on TV?

I think we’ve been trained for it as a society. This great article by Caroline Siede on BoingBoing.net talks about this training as it relates to female politicians, specifically Hillary Clinton, and I won’t try to say it better than she does, or again, but I strongly recommend reading the article—whether you care about the politics of it or not.

I also challenge you to watch movies and read books while keeping your eyes on the female characters, and try to identify specific characteristics—not just physical traits. If she’s “strong,” what makes her strong? Do you like her? If not, why not? If she’s “weak,” how do you feel about her? Do you like her, or just feel sorry for her? Consciously look for the plot device that's designed to help you come around to liking her. See if you can recognize the manipulation. (Yes, the art of a good storyteller is in manipulation, so I guess I'm asking you to look at the "man behind the curtain.")

I would love it if you came back and engaged in a discussion with me about the likability of strong women. Do you see a disparity in how we look at men vs. women? Should we "get over" the bias against strong women?

In the meantime, I’m going to continue creating strong women characters, and challenge myself not to force them to be likable.

(Full disclosure: Most of the links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, and any purchases you make after clicking through on them will net me a tiny kickback.)

Update on Activities and Review Catchup

It's done! It's on its way! I finished Should Monarchs Stumble in time for the release date I was aiming for, which is September 24th, the day of the Florence Festival of Books. It is available for pre-order NOW!




I have been so busy getting finished with the final story for the Bonnie Isles Trilogy - Should Monarchs Stumble - that I have totally neglected reviewing the stories I have been reading.

I listen to most books using a text to speech feature, and I'm allowed to do this while at work - driving a delivery van around town. That's the only way I've been able to "read" so many books. 

Now that I have the book "in the can" and the posters and banner made for the Florence Festival of Books, the Complete Trilogy formatted, uploaded and ordered, I can take a breather and catch up on some reviews. They're not going to be very detailed reviews, but you'll get the idea as to whether and how much I liked them.

Without further ado - several reviews, in no particular order.

From Fire Into Fire by Normandie Fischer - ★★★★★
I enjoyed this tale of two spies and their son very much. I have not yet read Two from Isaac's House, but I certainly will if this book is an example of the writing. (I have already procured it, but haven't started it, yet.)

This clean read is bittersweet, exciting, and full of interesting perspectives on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.
Content rating: This is a PG-13 read all the way. Totally flinch free.


Revolution by Adrienne Dunning – ★★★★★
What a sweet, fun read.
It's hard to miss with this sweet tale in which a ghost and feisty grandmother who team up as protectors/matchmakers for a woman running from an abusive fiance and a widower still aching for his lost love.

Content rating: PG 13, except there is a theme of domestic abuse - while I'm not opposed to kids knowing that that kind of abuse is NOT okay, it might be a trigger for some.


Shenanigans (Love, Sex & Magic #1) by T.B. Bond ★★★★
Fun story. Jackson makes a great book boyfriend. He's almost too good to be true, but I like my heroes like that.
I liked Edward, and the premise that all the sisters have boys names. It's going to make for a great series, I think. I'd say this is a bit of a serial - the story is not entirely wrapped up, and I expect to hear more about Edward and Jackson in other installments.

This has some fully depicted, graphic love scenes, so I would call it R-rated, but there is far more story than sex, so the sex scenes are not the driving force of the book. I don't remember the language being too coarse, but a quick search did reveal some f-bombs, so that is in keeping with the R-Rating, too. Language and Sexual content.

I think I read that this book has been overhauled, maybe since I got my copy (I'm working through a huge TBR) so hopefully the small errors that were littered throughout have been corrected.



My Name is A’yen (A’yen’s Legacy #1) by Rachel Leigh Smith - ★★★★★
I thought this was a wonderful book. It deals with a lot of tough topics - slavery and rape for starters - and has LGB themes to it, and yes, one questions the motive of one character who is only present in the story as a memory. (Some would call him a pedophile - but as this is Sci-Fi, I chose to believe that A'yen's people age faster than humans.) There are things in this book that will trigger some readers.

But the story is full of hope and perseverance and healing and learning to trust. The world building is exquisite, in such fine detail that I really felt I could understand the world I was reading about. I loved A'yen's strength and character, and I felt for him and the torment he experienced. I loved Farran's character, too. She was just as strong as A'yen and dealt with much of it alone, while he had so many friends to help him. For a long time, I wasn't sure he deserved her, until he got is head out of his you know what and saw what a great woman she was.

There are some sex scenes with a mostly closed door, and definite references to both hetero and homosexual love and abuse. It is not easy to read about the things that happen. I'd have to give it a PG-17 rating, for violent and sexual content. I think the language was pretty clean. A quick search revealed 0 f-bombs.



The Healer’s Rune – Lauricia Matuska - ★★★★
3.5-4 stars. (Can't make up my mind.)

I had the problem that I sometimes have with new adult, where I dislike the main character because she is so real. She's got a temper, and it almost makes her a strong woman, but it gets in the way of her listening to people who are trying to help her. The story also makes me uncomfortable, because it showcases the worst in people--pettiness, letting fear dictate your words and actions, and throwing others under the bus to save yourself. I spent the first 3/4 of the book not sure I was going to like it at all, but in the last 1/4 it started to come together, and I can see that it is actually working for the story.

I think I have more to say about this, but I need to process it some more, and write more when I have more time. Suffice to say it was well worth reading, and I will probably seek out the other books in the series when they come. A book that makes you uncomfortable isn't necessarily a bad thing.


Across Our Stars: Hamish – by A. Payne & N.D. Taylor - ★★★★★
5 stars all the way.
This is a fantastic follow up to Across Our Stars: Victor. The pacing is quicker and the action sequences more kick-butt.
I wanted to give a shout out to tell you all this sci-fi novel is great. If you like Sci-Fi that is more character-driven than technology-driven (although there is plenty of cool tech to read about) with complex characters and a twisting conspiracy plot, then this is the story for you!


Murder at Twin Oaks by C Z Bracket - ★★★★★
4.5 Stars
This was a very fine, clean cozy mystery. I liked the progression and the introduction of the various suspects and the investigation. I thought the resolution was good, though I may have missed some of the finer nuances since I was listening while driving.

I liked the rebuilding relationship with Victoria and the detective. I wondered by she didn't give her colleague a chance, though. I might have missed something, but I didn't really get why that was a non-starter as far as she was concerned. He seemed intent on firing something up with her.

The other thing I didn't quite get was why the clues kept getting sent to her. I wasn't satisfied by the explanation at the end. Again, maybe I just missed it, but those were enough to lose that full fifth star. I do look forward to reading more Victoria James Mysteries.

Content rating: this is a clean read. PG-13 - Any violence is off scene, although there is brief mention of some disturbing occurrences.

That's all for now - I'm still reading more, and will surely have more to say. Thanks for sticking with me. 

Book Blitz for The Boys of Syracuse, Kansas (3 Book Boxed Set)

Title: The Boys of Syracuse, KansasAuthor: Kristi CramerGenre: Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: July 4  
An exciting, suspenseful trio of full length standalone novels that will keep you turning the pages, without running into language and scenes that make you cringe.
Last Shot at Justice: Detective Mitzi Reardon doesn’t know what she did to anger her boss, but he is gunning for her. Literally. Now a prostitute is dead, and she is the prime suspect with the law hot on her heels. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Mitzi’s only hope lies in the hands of Blue Thomas, a chivalrous cowboy from Kansas.
Last Second Chance: An ex-con's search for a new start in a small Kansas town leads to a chance at a life and a love he never expected. But the life he left behind won't stay quietly in his past.
One Last Song: In a bold operation that leaves the tiny town of Syracuse reeling, Kylie and Jax are kidnapped. Getting nabbed for human trafficking would be bad enough, but their captors have an additional agenda.


AMAZON * KOBO * iBOOKS * SMASHWORDSKINDLE UNLIMITED USERS CAN READ THE BOOKS INDIVIDUALLY FOR FREE!!! Last Shot at Justice Last Second Chance One Last Song


 
Kristi writes about hard-working people living realistic lives. Her heroes are cowboys and bush pilots, her heroines are tough cops and office workers and veterinarians. She puts ordinary people into extraordinary situations, and lets them discover true character in the face of danger.
It might be somewhat out of style these days, but Kristi's heroes and heroines have lines that they don't cross, things that they won't do to save the day. They will find a way to achieve their goals that may take longer and be riskier, rather than cross those lines into doing "whatever it takes" and landing in the murk of questionable morality.
They are human, and they do make mistakes. They are practical people and if their loved one is in imminent danger and the only way to save them is to shoot to kill, somebody is going to die. But death and mayhem are never the first choice for Kristi's heroes.
Her villains, however, are under no such restraints. With each novel, Kristi goes deeper to create characters who have real motives, goals, and backgrounds that give the reader a glimpse into the heart of darkness. Villains who hold life cheap, and leave chaos in their wake.
The end result is nail biting, edge of your seat suspense that will keep you turning pages, rooting for the good guys and that happy ever after ending.
Kristi's YA books (as Kristi L. Cramer) are good, clean excitement, with an uplifting message you'll be happy to share with your young ones--and enjoy yourself.
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Trilogy news & Kindle Countdown!

I've been hard at work in the writing cave trying to finish off Should Monarchs Stumble. I'm sending it off to the editor this week, so you're one step closer to having a complete trilogy.

To celebrate, I'm having a Kindle Countdown on both A True Prince and To Make a King. If you missed the promo pricing for the pre-orders, you're in luck. From the 19th through the 22nd, you can get the books for just 99¢ each! From the 22nd to the 28th, they'll jump up to $1.99 ~ after the 28th, they go back to their re...gular price of $2.99 so don't miss out on this great deal while it lasts.

Is your little reader going back to school? Send them off with a great pair of fantasy stories! Or, get them for yourself as a treat for when the house is finally quiet again.

      

Review of Shadows for a Princess, by Dominique Kristine

In short, this is an awesome read.


This is a fabulous story, with politics and intrigue, knights and ladies, spies and villains, set in a fully realized fantasy world. There are several plotlines interwoven around the main plot, all seamlessly tied together. The reader doesn't just hear about Geoffrey & Ysolde, but a whole cast of characters who are so well drawn I felt like I knew them personally. They took me off into the Hinderan winter cold but kept me warm with the suspense of trying to figure out what's going on and what's going to happen next.

I love the strong women in this story. Ysolde is strong, compassionate, wise, and fierce. She takes no crap and gives no...cares from the people who plot against her. Yet she shows loyalty and love for those she cares for. She is no wilting flower waiting to be rescued, yet she has no qualms about asking for help when it's needed. 

Then there is Raennia. What's not to love about a woman who can compete with the finest swordsmen to become one of the elite guardians of the Princess? Rae kicks ass. She is a fine, complex character, and one of my favorites from the whole story.

The men are my idea of perfect men, too. Geoffrey makes me want to find a knight of my own. He's strong, kind, caring, just a little clueless when it comes to women - just a tad! Andras, Etienne, and Laurent all give me a case of the swoons. 

Personally, I don't think this guy quite does Geoffrey justice. I picture more like Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale...

The bad guys are also well drawn, and a diverse cast of characters there, too. I don't want to give anything away, so that's all I'll say about that.

I don't know what else to say about this that won't end up with spoilers or me just gushing and babbling my love for this story, so I'll conclude by saying READ THIS BOOK - you won't be sorry.

KC's Content Rating:
I would rate this PG-17 to Mild R, for the violence and adult content. 

The language is very clean without being Victorian or oddly stilted (except for one character who is just learning the main character's language.) There is violence, but I don't think it's horribly graphic. A mention of blood and throats getting slit, some off scene torture, but it doesn't go into details. 
There are a couple steamy scenes where the door isn't quite shut, but I wouldn't call them graphic. (You can tell what's going on, but there are no detailed descriptions - more like 'he moved here, and she gasped' kind of stuff.) 

*HUGE Giveaway Alert!*

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*HUGE Giveaway Alert!*I am teaming up with Electively Paige Book Blog and a small group of other YA authors to bring you a MASSIVE giveaway. 
Enter Here: https://goo.gl/forms/PlEdWl8BmGELfWHA3  
ONE lucky U.S. winner of this giveaway will win the GRAND PRIZE featuring the following:
A  Kindle Fire STOCKED with an ebook from each participating authorBook Art from Musings from a Book Lover An Alice in Wonderland Themed Literary Necklace from Fictional Fox 

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My reviews now include "content ratings"

For those of you who care about "content ratings" in books, I'm beginning to add my best guess at the ratings of the books I review on my blog. As I have time (meaning don't hold your breath, lol) I'll be going back to the ones that posted before I made this decision, and adding them in. 
The ratings will be modeled after the movie system (All Audiences, PG-13, PG-17, R, X, etc.) and will include codes like you see in TV shows that says what the rating is for: L = language, V = violence, A = adult content [i.e. Sex] and so on.
I know my readers come from diverse tastes, and some are more interested in this kind of information than others, and since I read across the board, it is a small service I'm happy to provide.
Happy reading!

Review of Becalmed, by Normandie Fischer

Oh my. This one had me glued to the tablet to finish. 5 Stars, easy.

I have read so much indie work that has great story, but not always the best execution. There are notable exceptions, and Becalmed by Normandie Fischer is one of those.

This story is simple but beautiful, the characters are well-rounded and believable - Jilly especially was adorable - the setting gorgeous, and the sailing scenes made me want to get back out there. The description of riding out the hurricane made me feel like I was right there. (I'd never considered that being in a boarded up house when the lights go out would mean not knowing whether it was day or night outside.) All in all, the "world" was built so well it easily transported me into the story. The final 50 pages or so I totally shirked my schedule of things to do in order to finish.

The editing was superb. I didn't make any notes, which almost never happens with me. So either there were no errors, or I was too caught up in the story to mark them. Either way, well done!

My only quibbles that keep this from being a full 5 stars is the bad guy. I guess I didn't quite buy Alex's motivation? Something about him didn't sit right with me. I mean, I get it that he is going through a divorce, but why does he decide he wants Tadie? I didn't gather that information from the narrative. Why become stalker-ish on her? And why would he ever think that what he ended up doing was a good way to win her back? (Trying not to give a spoiler, here. I didn't quite believe the escalation. The other quibble I had with the end action was Tadie's response to it. I'm pretty sure if that happened to me, I'd either be way more angry, or way more freaked out. Especially in her circumstance. Not sure I could joke about it quite as quickly as she does. But maybe she's a stronger woman than I. And it is a minor quibble, really - all things considered.

The final quibble would be a spoiler if I spelled it out, so if you don't like vague spoilers, don't read this paragraph. I did think things moved rather quickly in the romance at the end, considering how much time they spent apart. Then again, they're in their 30s, they should know their hearts by now, right?

If you like a well written, sweet love story (I'd give it a PG-17 rating, for the end action) the you will be more than happy with Becalmed.

Release Blitz - Whiskey & Honey by Andrea Johnston

Title: Whiskey & Honey

Series: Country Road #1

Author: Andrea Johnston

Release Date: July 21, 2016
 BlurbGuys have rules. Rule #1: You don't date your sister’s best friend.

Bentley Sullivan hasn't found the one. He's always been the good guy - the gentleman. With one quick, and possibly irrational, decision everything changes. After a case of mistaken identity and a drunken kiss, Ben is convinced that the one is finally right in front of him. Only, she's untouchable.

Girls have rules. Rule #1: You don't date your best friend’s brother.

Piper Lawrence has not been successful in love. Almost as quickly as she swears off men, he comes into her life. Her childhood crush and the man who has set the standards for every man she’s ever dated, he is also the one man she can’t have.

A single kiss changes it all.

 On sale for $0.99 for a limited time!
Amazon | GoodreadsExcerpt Chapter 1


Ben 

I felt it deep in my bones the minute she walked through the door.

What “it” is, I’m not quite sure. When the door opened I felt a shift in the atmosphere. As if someone lit a fire that burned only in my soul. My attention caught, I was bamboozled. This girl, no more than five feet tall, managed to drown out the sounds around me without even noticing I was in the same establishment.
Handling the large wooden door of Country Road as if it weighed no more than a feather, she seemed both determined and frightened as she walked through. Tossing her hair, the color of the most violent fire, over her shoulder, straightening her back and tilting her chin up in determination, I enjoyed the view as her hips swayed in perfect tempo to the drum solo coming from the speakers and she walked across the room. The way her jeans complement every curve, she not only has my mouth feeling like the Sahara Desert but my dick has suddenly awoken from its recent hibernation.

It isn’t either of those things that have me ignoring my friends though. No, it’s something about the fierce way she has made her entrance yet not made eye contact or smiled at a single person as she made her way to the bar. Even from here, without so much as speaking a word, I can tell that she is something special. A woman made up of layers and layers of intrigue. Someone who I have to know.

“Dude, are you even listening?”

“I don’t think he’s heard a single word any of us said since she walked in. His dick is obviously in charge tonight.”

I hear those assholes; I just don’t have anything to contribute to whatever debate they’re having. Besides, Owen is right. Somehow my normal level-headed self seems to have left the room and my previously mentioned dick is in charge tonight.

All of our lives I’ve been the logical and straight-laced one in this group. Suddenly a sassy redhead has taken all of my logic and tossed it aside. I’m acting like a pubescent teen. The problem is, I’m quite a few years from being a teen, and even when I was, I never had this reaction to a woman.

Nope. I, Bentley James Sullivan, am the good guy. The guy who approaches life with a plan and never does a single thing without one. Hell, I even plan spontaneity. Yeah, I teeter on the edge of boring.

I take another drink of my beer as I turn to Owen. “Kiss my ass. I heard you, and for your information, Iron Man always wins.”

Without a second thought I return my attention to the beauty who has garnered all of my interest. She’s made her way to a stool at the bar and is waiving her arms around as if she’s the conductor of an orchestra. I can tell from the expression of the bartender, also my sister Ashton, that whoever has her this fired up should stay clear of her.

The only time her hands still is when she grabs the shot glass my sister has placed in front of her. From where I’m sitting I can see that she doesn’t even shudder as she takes the shot of dark and beautiful whiskey. I don’t care what anyone says, there’s something fascinating about a woman who drinks whiskey. Just the thought makes me smile.

“Why don’t you just go over and talk to her, Ben?”

I shoot a look at Jameson over my beer bottle as I drain it. My best friend since, well forever, he knows I’m not the “hook up in a bar” kind of guy. But, I won’t deny this girl has sparked a little something. Something familiar tugs at me, but I can’t place it.

“Nah, I’ll pass,” I say unconvincingly. I really want to go over to this girl and tell her the fucker who made her this upset isn’t worth it.

I’m not psychic, but honestly what else could have her this upset?

The reality is, guys are dicks and the only person who could make a woman this upset.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re not all assholes, but the reality of it all is we screw up.

All the fucking time.

I sit here with three variations of the asshole to good guy makeup in front of me. The four of us have been best friends since high school, more like brothers than anything else. When I accepted a college scholarship that took me more than three hundred miles away from home, I assumed we’d grow apart, that I would grow apart from the four of them. I was wrong.

Owen Butler and Landon Montgomery are two of the coolest and most loyal friends a guy could ask for. We’ve had each other’s backs through a lot of dumb shit, and not only managed to stay friends but we’ve never screwed each other over either.

Jameson Strauss is like a brother to me. When we were kids we were convinced we were some sort of dynamic duo considering my middle name was close to his first name. Only the reality is that my middle name is a family name and he was named after his dad’s favorite whiskey. Regardless, we didn’t care and thought it made us pretty bad ass.

Jameson is the best person I know and gives to others without a second thought. I would trust him with my life. Of course, he’s also a bit of a slut and has probably screwed half the women in this town, but he’s not a bad guy. Sure, a few have declared their undying love and begged him to do the same. For the most part he’s managed to come out of each encounter unscathed and unattached.

Then there’s me. The relationship guy. I’ve had two girlfriends in my twenty-nine years. Well, two real girlfriends. Stolen kisses on the playground and the occasional hand-holding in middle school don’t count.

“Ben, why are you staring at…”

Before Owen can finish his sentence, Jameson spills his beer.

“What’s your problem, J? That was a rookie move,” Landon says as he starts wiping at the spilled beer with his hand.

“Sorry, I thought there was a bee or something. I just jumped.”

All three of us look at Jameson like he’s crazy. Unfazed by our confusion, he signals for a waitress to come over to our table with a towel.

“Hey, Beth, sorry about the mess,” Jameson says, offering this poor girl a smile that is a little predatory. I can tell from her reaction to him that there’s a little history there but not in a bad way.

“Beth, this is Ben. Ben, this is Beth.”

“Hey there, Ben. You look familiar, have I served you before?”

“Nah, Bethy, Ben’s been gone from home for a hundred years. I think the last time he was in here we had fake IDs. He probably looks familiar because he’s Ashton’s brother.”

Bethy? Good God, he’s laying it on thick.

“Oh, Bentley. Ashton was just telling me that you were moving back. Does she know you’re here? You should go say hi to her; she’s just at the bar talking to…”

“So anyway, thanks for cleaning up. Looks like you’re busy. We don’t want to keep you.”

This poor girl, Jameson doesn’t even let her finish a sentence before he’s sending her off.

“Hey, Ben, why don’t you just take that twenty and go grab us another round? I’ve got a little spill here in my lap or I’d do it myself.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I grab the money and head to the bar. I already know I’m screwed.

About the Author
Andrea Johnston spent her childhood with her nose in a book and a pen to paper. An avid people watcher, her mind is full of stories that yearn to be told.  A fan of angsty romance with a happy ending, super sexy erotica and a good mystery, Andrea can always be found with her Kindle nearby fully charged.


Andrea lives in Idaho with her family and two dogs.  When she isn’t spending time with her partner in crime aka her husband, she can be found binge watching all things Bravo and enjoying a cocktail. Nothing makes her happier than the laughter of her children, a good book, her feet in the water, and cocktail in hand all at the same time.
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