SPOTLIGHT ON... The Story of Us Trilogy by Sydney Jamesson

'TouchStone for giving' will be out on 4th November!!

At this point I must tell you my inner Di is squealing and jumping with excitment!  In the run up to the release date I will be posting teasers, the blurb AND the cover reveal.

So stay tuned...

We have had the cover reveal, excerpts, teasers and the blurb.  If you haven't seen them all yet, scroll down, but before you do, sit back and enjoy one last post before the release!

This is my last post before the release of TouchStone for giving on 4th November.  I am so excited to get my hands on this book.  I don't get this excited for a release very often, but I have to say this series has made me break my number one rule of not reading a series until all the books are out.  I don't care if there are cliffhangers.  I just need to read the next part in this trilogy, it is that good!

PROLOGUE

My name is Elizabeth Parker, I am 28 years old but, in truth, my life began a month ago when I met my dream lover.  That's not quite right.  I say lover but his is so much more than that to me.

There was a time when I was content to live life idling in the slow lane, never reaching for the accelerator, happy to cruise.  But now ...

I have been awoken from a great sleep.  All it took was a single kiss to raise me from the dead and to open my eyes to a whole new world.  I have learned what it is to love and be loved in every sense.  Out of the depths of loneliness I have emerged like a phoenix from the scattered ashes of a sad existence, escaping a past marred by a singled encounter, but elevated to great heights by another.

I am reborn.

Intuitively, a great man once said, "The course of true love never did run smooth," and how right was he.  As with every new beginning, there are mistakes to be made and lessons learned; hidden secrets to be forgiven but never forgotten; hurdles to be scaled and demons to be wrestled but, in the end, every battle must be fought and won is life and love are to survive.

Because, when nothing else matters ... you have to do or die.

So look and listen, and let me tell you the story of us ...

H.O.T!!!!!

Part Two of CHAPTER 1 (Part One is below this post)

  He snatched out the key and takes a step back, preparing to shoulder the door.  The music will conceal the sound of splintering wood and a shattering bolt.
  "You've locked the door princess but you can't keep me out.  Not this time."  Those words drip from his mouth like saliva, so rousing is his aching need for her.  His rucksack falls to the floor.  He takes a deep breath but, out of the corner of his eye, he sees something.  Maybe it's a trick of the light, the sun reflecting on the glass of the security door or ... maybe it's a silver Rolls Royce pulling up outside the apartment?
  Instantly, he picks up the rucksack and walks backwards up the stairs, holding onto the handrail.  The glove of his right hand snags on the metal joints that tear away at the material but he keeps moving, skulking, backing away to the safety of the second flight of stairs, out of sight.  He waits.
  The external, security door opens.  Someone enters.

  I've walked away from my destiny, all because of a stupid, stupid lie.
  There we were Ayden and Beth; two celestial bodies who collided, fused and became one.  Gravity brought us together and human nature has pulled us apart.
  I should have known better.  Like falling stars we've come crashing down to earth.  It's a painful landing; no bones broken, only hearts.  My head aches and my chest hurts but that hardly compares to the emotional torment I have undergone.  How could someone who claims to love me subject me to ... what was it?  Sexual torture?  I don't know.
  I remember being scared, petrified, yet I also remember feeling incredibly aroused.  Tangled up inside the fear was a deep craving for it to continue.  Secretly, I knew Ayden would not hurt me and being taken by him so forcefully was so fucking erotic.
  What am I saying?
  Why is my heart beating through my clothes?
  In moments like this, not that there have ever been moments like this, I do what I always do.  Turn to my only companion for comfort: my music.  Rihanna sings What Now?
  I ask myself the same question.
What a forlorn figure I am, strewn out across a double bed in crumpled clothes, my face covered in tramlines of dried tears going nowhere.  How did something so heavenly turn into this black abyss; nothing in this world can fill the void left by his absence.
  The song comes to a dramatic climax and I feel myself falling, crumbling under the weight of a broken dream.
  What's that ...?

Part One of CHAPTER 1

  It was a cold November night when Dan Rizler touched her for the first and only time.  He felt her steaming breath on his face and saw that look in her eyes.  Some may have called it fear, but it looked more like arousal to him.  Francis was her name then, Elizabeth now and Beth to her friends but, he is more than a friend and, to him, she will be forever Francis.
  Seven anniversaries have come and gone.  Not this one.  This one they would be celebrating together.
  The blood of a man who had spent too many nights alone searching and scheming courses through his body; a thumping heart forces it through the smallest of veins and capillaries, energising every muscle and cell contained within his six foot, four inch frame.  Even through the synthetic gloves he feels a charge of electric; a tingling sensation that reminds him that he is powerful and alive.
  Operation Snatch Back is a go.
  He moves from freeze frame to slow motion and back again, descending the stairs from 53c, past 53b, quietly.
  This is a covert operation: no noise, no witnesses, no fuck ups.  Not this time.  With each step, music reverberates in the closing space, increasing in volume; a piano plays, a pounding beat drives the song forward and a disembodied voice asks What now?  It's coming from 53a.
  Dan Rizler is standing outside the front door, allowing his forefinger to stroke the 5 and 3, then the neat little 'a' that is now within his reach.  His new set of keys rattle around in his hand, sharp around the edges, recently cut.  Using the music as cover he slots in the golden key, preparing to enter a world of carnal pleasure.  He licks his lips and the salty taste of perspiration fizzes on his tongue.
  The key turns ...
  There is resistance.  It will not move.  With a look of sheer bewilderment, he pulls it out and looks at it, flips it over, traces the curves with his thumb and tries again.  The music is ringing in his ears.  The chorus is building into a crescendo ...
  "What the fuck!"

COVER REVEAL AND BLURB

Okay, so we all know how I feel about the release of this book, but WOW I am loving the cover!  It has made me even more excited about it's release, and I would never have thought that possible!!  I am like a kid waiting for Christmas!!

Blurb from the back cover

Elizabeth Parker has been found...

Like a falling star she has come down to earth, landing painfully on the debris of a broken dream.  What she thought of as love now seems no more than a wish left unfulfilled.  Her future lies in the hands of two powerfully possessive men; each desiring her to the point of insanity.

Flawless media mogul Ayden Stone oversees her voyage of sexual awakening, introducing her to new experiences and a secret world behind locked doors, away from prying eyes.  But... is he Prince Charming or merely the great pretender?

With a fighter's instinct, Dan Rizler continues to box clever; taking his time, waiting for the right moment to strike.  He will have his Princess one way or another.  

Into this twisted triangle enters Elise Richards; a woman with a past and a passion for revenge: hell hath no fury like Miss Richards.

This is a modern fairy tale, full of romance, secrets and suspense.  Elizabeth Parker is about to be caught, held fast by the hand of Fate; but will she be caught out, or caught up in an affair of the heart, body and soul?

When nothing else matters... you have to do or die!

The Story of Us Trilogy is a modern day fairytale, spanning 18 months.  There is the delicious Prince Charming - Ayden Stone, the Princess - Elizabeth Dove, and the creepy bad guy - Dan Rizler.  When I say he is creepy, I mean CREEPY, send shivers down your spine C.R.E.E.P.Y!

Anyway after the first book TouchStone for Play was released, I held off for ages before I succumbed to reading it.  You see I hate (like really HATE) cliffhangers, so if a book is part of a series, I tend to wait to read it once all books are released.  No patience that's me!  So you will have no doubt realised by now that I have indeed relented and read the first part in the trilogy, and boy-o-boy does this book have a cliffhanger.  So much so, I have been harassing poor Sydney Jamesson for the next book and I am thrilled now that the release date is fast approaching!!

REVIEW - Long Way Home by Ann Vaughn

Shane McCanton and Tessa Kelly were childhood enemies.  Everything was a contest to them and Tessa always seemed to show Shane that nice guys finished last.  Things change, however, when hormones take over and Shane begins to see the perpetual thorn-in-his side as more than just his childhood nemesis...

Tessa had never meant to set into motion events that led to their childhood rivalry, but once it started, she embraced it with gusto - until her world started to fall apart and she realized that Shane was the one constant in ther life, her rock who would never leave her and help her find her Long Way Home...

I was given a copy of this book, by the author, in return for an honest review, and I have to say, hand on heart, it was an amazing read.  It was fast paced, heart-breaking and heart-warming, all rolled into one.  There was also some extremely tense, dark, tragic and traumatic bits within the storyline.

**The story does deal with domestic abuse and sexual assault, however, both of these storylines are dealt with sensitively and not described in graphic detail and they are both believable scenarios.  However I know that no matter how the subject matter is handled, there are those who would rather not read about these situations.**

The book covers Shane and Tessa's relationship from when they were in kindergarten all the way up to their late twenties, early thirties.  It covers all the ups and downs and twists and turns in their relationship in between.

It all starts when Tessa tells Shane, she is going to marry him 'when they are big' on their first day of kindergarten.  For the rest of their school years they have a love/hate relationship.  She loves to make his life a misery and he hates her.  Until their Senior Year at High School that is, when they call a truce and become friends.  The summer after graduating is when the relationship starts to develop into something more.  Unfortunately for them, their lives are not destined to go in the same direction, so they don't see each other much after that summer.

I loved how, despite the years when they were apart, their devotion and commitment to each other was always there, they would always have a connection and would always find a way back to each other over the years.  As time marches on they see each other on a few occasions, keeping in touch any way they can, until Shane loses all contact with Tessa.  Then one day she turns up again, out of the blue and that is when things really get turned upside down and inside out for them.  Just when they think they have reached that happy place, it is all ripped away from them horrifically.  They are both left reeling and devastated from the events.

There were several bits within the story when I would be sobbing.  There were some really traumatic bits where I felt I had ice in my veins, and I just wanted to skip to the end to see how things worked out!  The story has a mixture of everything, love, despair, happiness, trauma and suspense.  On their journey Tessa and Shane have to overcome some very big obstacles, if they are to get together and stay together.  However, some obstacles may be just too big to make it possible for their futures to work out as they would like.

I really enjoyed this book and I felt that all the events that made up the story were believable, which only added to the enjoyment.  If you haven't read this yet, I would highly recommend it.

My Rating

Amazon UK | Amazon US

REVIEW - Sizzle by Lexi Buchanan

Thalia is twenty-one and has just finished her sophomore year of college, and is trying to avoid going home to her stifling parents who have a curfew of nine every night, and have a bad habit of treating her like she's still ten years old.  Her new boyfriend, Liam, invites her to spend the summer with him and his family, so as she's been unable to find a local job to keep her at college, Thalia jumps at the chance.  Liam tells her that she can be his guest at his brother, Jack's, wedding at the end of the summer.

Jack is twenty-five and feels as though he's drowning.  He's engaged to Mia, against his will, because it's always been drilled into him, family comes first.  Jack's studying for a law degree, and wants to go out on his own once he graduates, specializing in criminal law.  His father wants him to accept a junior partnership in the law firm owned jointly by him and Lewis, his fiancées father, to practice family law.

Then he meets his brother's girlfriend, Thalia, and he can't get her out of his head.  He needs her to keep her distance, because every time she smiles in his direction, he wants to carry her to his room and do really naughty things to her.

Then Saturday night arrives and Liam takes Thalia to a new bar that has opened on the outskirts of town, where she discovers Jack's big secret.  By day he's the good looking, slightly older brother with a chip on his shoulder, who gives her hot looks, and by night he's Phoenix, singer/guitar player for bad boy group 'Deception', who makes her sizzle to the core!

He has muscle.
He has tattoos.
He has piercings.
He has a mouth that makes her panties wet every time he opens it.  He is supposed to be getting married.
He is also her boyfriend's brother...

The summer holidays are approaching and Thalia doesn't want to go home to spend it with her own over protective parents, so she agrees to spend the summer with Liam.  Thalia and Liam are in a relationship, but she feels there is no spark between them.  She feels the relationship is more like two friends, as opposed to boyfriend/girlfriend.  Before she leaves, to go home with him for the summer, she decides to speak to him and he agrees that they are more friends than lovers.  She agrees to still spend the summer with him, and keep up the pretence to his parents, that they are together.

Jack has been forced into a loveless relationship with Mia, the daughter of his Dad's business partner.  They are due to get married during the summer holidays.  For some unknown reason Jack's parents don't seem to have any respect for him at all.  Even though he is the one who has done everything expected of him, from going to Law School, to taking a job at his Dad's law firm and even agreeing to the farce of a 'relationship' with Mia.  Nothing ever seems good enough.

As soon as Jack and Thalia meet there is instant attraction and chemistry between them.  Jack tries to be aloof and stay away from her, but the pull is too much for either of them.  As the story unfolds it becomes clear that everything and everyone is not as it seems, none more so than Jack.  On the outside he is the perfect example of a conservative lawyer, but strip away those clothes (and seriously I did want to on many occasions!) and he is the epitome of your typical 'bad boy' with tattoos and body piercings (yip there is more than one!)  I liked how the author portrayed Jack as one thing on the outside, but something altogether different underneath.  He literally hides his true self from his parents, because he knows they would never accept his life choices.  

Throughout the story the frustration Jack felt for the situation he was in was evident.  I wanted to tell him to walk away from everything, turn his back on his parents and go and live his life his way.  Then at the same time I could understand the dilemma of doing just that.  I wanted him to try to reason with his parents, but again it wouldn't have been an option.  His parents are so distant and cold towards him, it is understandable why he is reluctant to stand up to them and call off the wedding.  He was in a horrible catch 22 situation.  As the plot unravels, it becomes clear why there has been so much pressure put on Jack and Mia to marry each other and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for the position they had both been put in.

Jack's band mates, Donovan and Reece, provided some much needed support and wise words to both Jack and Thalia and they made enough of an impression that I am now looking forward to reading Reece's story.  Roll on 2014.

My Rating

  Amazon UK | Amazon US | Smashwords | Nook |  Kobo

SPOTLIGHT - on D.H. Sidebottom's Room 103 Series

As you may know, D.H. Sidebottom is one of my favourite authors, so I was thrilled to see the third book in her (rather brilliant) Room 103 Series has been released.  So because I LOVE this series and her, I decided I would put the Spotlight on the series so far.

Leaving her past behind, Eve Hudson, embarks on student life.  Determined to take control of her life and move on from her turbulent past, Eve strictly orders no drama, no bullshit and definitely no relationships.

That was until she met deep and moody Jax Cooper, the vocalist for local band 'Room 103'.

Jax is arrogant and egotistical, an alpha male straight through to his core, but so damn hot, and Eve soon finds his relentless pursuit of her, harder and harder to resist.

But both hold tortured souls and secrets, secrets that could blow their whole lives apart...literally.

Except sometimes it's not secrets or damaged spirits that threaten their relationship...it's life itself.

Eve soon finds out that if you're going through hell, then the only way out the other side, is to just keep going.

This book contains explicit sex scenes, strong language and lot's of heartache.  and of course...one hell of an alpha male.

Amazon UK | Amazon

     

Boss's story.

'Every man is as heaven made him, and sometimes a great deal worse.'

Boss, drummer for the highly accredit rock group Room 103, understands this statement.

Only too well.

He has been in love with one woman since he was sixteen.  She was his soul mate, his lover, his heart and his very essence.  But she was never his and yet she was always his.

Nine years!  Nine long and lonely years since he last saw her, since he last embraced her unique spark of life and nine god damn years since he's tasted her passion.

Then bang!  There she was, stood in front of him like a vision, like a gift presented to him from God.

What did he do when he saw her?  He ran.

He ran because he knew if he touched her once again, then he wouldn't give her the chance to disappear again, to break him all over again or to kill him a little more.

But this time he would make it his mission to have her, to hold on to her and to finally make her his.  Completely.

He would do anything for her, and he does.  He does the very thing that loses her.

So now he needs to fight; to battle and strive to get her back.

With a little help from friends and band mates, his own unique outlood on life and a tiny reprieve from God; he grins widely, begs shamelessly and just plain charms the pants off her, the only way Boss can.

Jen belongs to Boss... simple.

Stand in his way and he'll take you down.

This book contains explicit sex scenes, domestic abuse, strong language and violence... oh, and one hell of a sweet rocker.

Amazon UK | Amazon

           

The third book in the Room 103 series.

Bulk's story.

Love triangles... nasty things!

Especially if one of the trio is dead.

Bulk fell in love at sixteen.  Shona was his heart, his soul, the meaning of his life.

Then she was killed... suddenly, horrifically and brutally.

He never had the chance to say goodbye, never had the chance to tell her how much he loved her.  How much he breathed for her and how much her pregnancy with his child energized his life to the point of a motivation he had never experienced before.

Seven long, lonely, painful and comatose years later, Spirit, a guitarist for River's Ink, takes Bulk's shit, wraps it up and sucks it dry.

She takes his grief and kicks it to the curb.

She fights against him, with him and for him.

She wants him; she needs him and God, if he doesn't need her right the hell back.

She's everything Shona was; fun, full of life and so utterly breath taking she steals his breath with every smile, every word that leave her pretty lips and each naughty twinkle in her eye.

But is Spirit what he actually needs to revive his life?

When Spirit's secrets, a face from her past and her uncontrollable addiction to drugs and alcohol show their ugly heads, will Buld shake his head and declare a final 'No' to life, or will he hold her tight, pull her close and fight her demons with her?

Will their fight for each other resurrect their deceased souls or will it invite the Devil to finally, once and for all, swallow them whole?

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;

the most massive characters are sealed with scars.  Khalil Gibran

This book contains explicit sex scenes, strong language, violence and substance abuse.. oh, and one hell of an alpha male.

It is recommended that tissues are on stand-by and a shoulder is available to cry on.

Amazon UK | Amazon

I would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to D.H. Sidebottom for allowing me to use her gorgeous 'Room 103' logo.

REVIEW - Carter Reed by Tijan

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend.

She had two choices.

Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive.

There was no choice to her.

She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her.

Carter Reed.

He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

To say the start of this book was a shocker, is an understatement.  There was no introduction of the characters.  No gently easing you into the storyline before the devastating event that puts the wheels in motion.  No, it was BANG, right on the first page.  WOW!  I was hooked from then until the very final page.

Right from the very first line of the book, you are launched right into the horrific scene of the rape.  Emma cautiously enters her apartment, but right away she knows that something is not right.  When realisation dawns on what Jeremy is doing to her best friend and room mate, she decides to take drastic action to put an end to it.  She shoots him.  Unfortunately, Jeremy's father is a member of one of the main Mafia families.  They know they need to get into hiding before the family catch up to them and they run to Ben and Amanda, friends of Emma and Mallory.  Emma is quick to realise that this is can only be a temporary solution.  That's when she decides to go to her brother's best friend Carter Reed (who just happens to be a mean, lean fighting machine and hot as hell!)  

Before her brother died, he told her that if she ever needed any help, she was to go to see Carter and he would help her.  Only now, Carter is high up in the organisation of another Crime Family, and so begins his job of keeping Emma alive.  Once Emma is under Carter's protection, that is when things start to spiral completely out of control for Mallory and Emma is at a loss to prevent all that happens next.

The book is full of raw emotions, from the shock and devastation of the rape and subsequent shooting to the love that is brought to the surface, between Emma and Carter.  I loved how the sheer devastation the four friends felt as a result of everything, was described.  It made the whole scenario seem more real to me.  I felt I could actually visualise their anger, torment and grief.

During her time with Carter, Emma is introduced to Theresa and Noah, and the banter between them provides some light relief to the otherwise heaviness of the storyline.  I liked Theresa and Noah, and I would love to see a book where they are developed further.

The book takes so many twists and turns, before the final conclusion is reached, but I have to say as I was nearing the end of the book, I was trying to read slower and slower to prevent having to leave Carter (did I mention Carter is HOT?) and Emma.  Unfortunately, for me the pace of the book was anything but slow, so it was finished in record time.

Would I recommend this book?  Oh yes, without a shadow of a doubt, this is a must read if you like romance mixed with suspense, and one H.O.T. male lead!

My Rating

Amazon UK | Amazon

COVER REVEAL - Vital Sign by J.L. Mac

TITLE - Vital Sign

AUTHOR - J.L. Mac

Sadie Parker’s life has been nothing short of simple and perfect. She has Jacob, her loving husband. She has her art. She has stability and she has big plans and endless hope for the future. Until now. Until the night that turned her perfect life into a horrific nightmare. She’s a woman with the need for understanding and closure. She’s something she agonizes over. She’s a widow.

Sadie sets out on a journey to healing without knowing that things will get far worse before they get better. Despite her general indifference to organ donation she feels compelled to seek out the recipients of Jacob’s organs with hopes that meeting those people will soothe her own grief.

Resentment runs rampant as she meets the thriving, organ recipients. She has difficulty not being angry and jealous. The heart recipient is the last person she seeks to meet and he is a complete game changer. She hates him for his health but can’t help but feel at home in his presence. He soothes her grief in a way that is intoxicating; addictive even.

The heart that once fell in love with her now resides in Alexander Hayden’s chest. It’s a circumstance that forces her to wage an internal war fueled by grief, anger, guilt, love, lust, and loyalty.

Sadie must discover the things that are vital to going on with her life if she has any hope of finding her way through the all consuming grief that dominates every waking moment.

“If you think for one second that I wanted this, you’re wrong,” he bellows at me so loudly that I startle. I take a cautious step back but he instantly steps forward, closing the space between us. I can feel the heat and anger radiating from him. His breathing is uneven and he seems to be trembling just as much as I am.

Before I have a chance to even think, he grips his shirt at the front and rips it open sending a few buttons skittering across his floor in all directions. My eyes instinctively look towards the floor to watch where buttons have flown. When I look up, I find myself looking at the angered man who ripped his shirt open like a neanderthal. He steps even closer to me, leaving only an inch or two of space for me to call mine. His eyes bore into me as he shrugs his shoulders up and down a few times, easily slipping out of the fabric. I watch it drop to the floor and do my best to compose myself.

“Look at it,” he demands and I know exactly what he is talking about. I haven’t seen his scar yet and I’m not quite sure that I am ready to see the marred chest that was split open to welcome in a new heart. It was new to him anyway. It damn sure wasn’t new to me. I have known that heart since childhood. I loved that heart. That’s the heart that loved me right back.

In spite of the growing knot in my throat I look up from the floor to stare straight ahead at a long vertical, deep pink scar. It’s wide and long extending the full length of his sternum.

My head lowers and my eyes drift askew on their own. The sight of his scar makes me sad for him and resentful all at once. Why does he get to live? Why did Jacob have to die? Why do I have this stupid guilt keeping me from ending it all? I know none of this was Alex’s fault. I know that it’s shitty of me to hate him for reasons that make zero sense. Maybe I don’t hate him at all. Maybe I just hate that I feel guilty for being attracted to him. I feel bad that a small part of me is thankful that he is the man who received my husband’s heart.

Tears well in my eyes making me want to hide. I want to hide from everything. Alex hand lifts to cup my cheek and he gently lifts my head to face him. The anger I saw for a moment has been replaced with a look of sympathy.

“I’m glad that you’re alive. I guess I’m just not glad that I am.” My admission feels like it’s more for me than it is for him. He sighs heavily and pulls me to his bare chest with such force that the breath in my lungs rushes out. With my cheek pressed to his chest I sob to the sound of the steady, strong heart that I have loved for so long.

REVIEW - Worth The Fight by Vi Keeland

It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.

Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.

***Author's note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Vi Keeland posted a picture on Facebook thanking everyone for getting her book to the number 1 spot in several categories.  So of course it got my attention and I decided I had to check it out.  Next thing I know I've 'One Clicked'!

If I'm honest, I was hooked at the blurb, so I knew that when I started reading it, I would have to read it in one sitting.  That is exactly what I did.

Nico is struggling to cope with the tragedy that put his MMA career in doubt over one year before.  He is a hot, fit, alpha male, but he has a soft side to him, that you can't fail to see and adore.

Elle is a lawyer at a small firm and has been seeing William for over 2 years.  He is a lawyer at a large firm, good looking and financially secure.  Everything in Elle's life is predictable and boring, but that is how she thinks she wants it.  Until she meets Nico.  Like Nico, Elle has also had to deal with a traumatic event in her past, which is why she strives to keep her life steady and uneventful.

Vi Keeland does such a good job of building the characters that you can't help but hope they will allow themselves to put their respective pasts behind them, and be able to move forward and rebuild their lives, together.  The emphasis isn't so much on the past events, but more on how they can learn and support each other, to ensure that their futures are no longer determined by the traumatic events that have continued to haunt and shape them up until the meet.  I found myself wrapped up in the emotions of the story.  I could be feeling a warm inner glow when the softer side of Nico came out, only to find myself, a short time later, to be feeling torn apart when Elle was witnessing Nico have a melt down.  The passion, the grief, the love, I felt them all. 

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I'm glad my Facebook stalking introduced me to Nico!  I will be adding Elle and Nico to my 'Re-read' list on my tablet.

Worth the Fight, is definitely worth the read!

My Rating

Amazon UK | Amazon

REVIEW - If Forever Comes (The Regret Series Book 2) by A.L. Jackson

If Forever Comes, the final chapter in the New York Times Bestselling Regret Series (Lost to You and Take This Regret).

Christian Davison's life is complete.  With a ring on Elizabeth's finger and his daughter at his side, he's ready to run headlong into their future.

Elizabeth Ayers never believed she would again find this kind of joy—the joy of a family and the wholeness found in the touch of the man she's always loved.

Their love is intense and their passion only grows as they set out to rediscover each other.

But life is never easy.

Rocked by the unforeseen, Christian and Elizabeth will find themselves fighting for the one thing they hold most important—family.

If I could give a Galaxy of stars for this book, I would. It was THAT good. Seriously!

I was all over the place, emotionally, when reading this book. Take This Regret ended on a positive note. Christian and Elizabeth were getting married, they were a proper family and everything was looking good...

...Then BOOM...!

...Christian is out getting drunk and saying things like he is missing Elizabeth...! I mean What The F**K! So of course, I turn the page, feeling like someone has just ripped my heart out, to find out what in the world happened to bring him to this place, and we rewind back to a happy time!

Yup, you guessed it, the good old emotional roller coaster, but this ride beats all others, and you won't want to get off!

The sheer amount of emotion that A.L. Jackson is capable of pulling out of her readers will never cease to amaze me to be honest. You will feel the happiness, sadness, sheer elation and crushing heartbreak so quickly, it'll leave you in a head spin and feeling like you are physically living and breathing the story with the characters.

Throughout this book, it would switch from present day (turmoil, heartache and gut wrenching) back to much happier times, which took place less than a year previously (full of ooh's and ahh's of a happy family unit with everything to look forward to). I love how A.L. Jackson, reels you in right from the start, and keeps tugging at your heartstrings throughout, holding your interest entirely. As the story unfolds, the heart ache becomes clearer and clearer, but when it comes, the impact is no less than it would have been if you hadn't suspected. It was like watching two friends go to hell and back.

I loved this book, it is exceptionally well written, thoroughly enjoyable and it pulled every emotion known to man out of the reader, and then some!

My Rating

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