***** Mature Content, Sexual Situations, Adult Situations, Strong Language *****
To him, I was only just Sage, Matt Nichols’ little sister. But I've worshiped Conall my whole life. My brother's best friend. My secret crush. My first and only love. Always hoping he’d really see... me.
And then, a torrent of circumstances ripped through my life. One by one, my family began to crumble. My dad's heart attack. My brother's tragic death. My mother's slipping sanity. And then Conall's abandonment. He took my heart when he left, but he gave me a reason to grow up fast, to be strong, and to live.
Now, just when things finally start looking up, he's back in Bitterroot. Standing before me, not the boy he once was, but a man. Just when I’m on the cusp of living again. Just when I’m starting to feel like I could let go of the past and be happy without him, the feelings I set aside for all those years are raging once again through my veins. My tight control is slipping. The future I've so carefully mapped out now seems so uncertain.
He’s changed, but he hasn’t. I hate him for leaving, but I love him for coming home.
But will he stay? And do I really, truly want him to after he shattered me before?
“Sage,” he whispered, “don’t do this. Don’t say that. I’m not worth it.”
“But I do,” I shook my head defiantly. “I love you, Conall.” A drop of rain fell from the tip of his nose to his full lips, and I pulled myself up to capture it with a clumsy, tremulous kiss. My fingers framed his taut jaw. “I love you,” I hoarsely begged. “Please don’t go.”
“Sage,” he warned. His hands settled at my hips, as though to steady me… maybe even to steady himself. He didn’t pull me closer, but he didn’t push me away either. His raging uncertainty fueled my desperation, and I moved with him, guiding my fingers around his neck and pulling myself closer. Molding myself against his body, I lifted my trembling lips to kiss him again. For a moment, he stood frozen, shocked by my brazen actions. I pulled my body against him hard, turning my head, increasing the pressure of my lips, pushing my tongue into his mouth. Kissing him like I’d always dreamed of doing. He couldn’t leave me. He just couldn’t. He was all I had left. I had to make him stay. So I beseeched him with my kiss, my touch, my sheer overwhelming need. I pleaded with the tears that streamed from my eyes and mixed with the frigid raindrops. Please, Con,” I whispered. “Please… I need you. I love you.” And then, as though he was coming alive, his strong hand caught the base of my head, tangling in my hair as he began to kiss me back.
I make no secret of my love for Sibylla Matilde. She gave me Kian after all!! But seriously, how can you not love someone, who brings so much entertainment into your life? Siby has done it again, with Conall this time. Man, he is hot. To the point of sizzling, HOT!. As soon as I started reading Always Conall, I was quickly reminded of how much I loved the characters from this series so far. We meet Kian (swoon...), Brynn, Sage and of course 'wee' Mattie again. However as soon as we are formally introduced to Conall, it is like we have known him all along, and like Sage, we haven't seen or heard from him for years. This is due the brilliant writing skills of Sibylla, she has an amazing talent for developing her characters and getting you to either love them or hate them, like she intended. Take Angela the 'skank' for instance. I hate her, she just oozes cheap.
As you can see from the wee excerpt above, Sage is in love with Conall. However, the course of true love never runs smoothly, and in the case of Sage and Conall, this couldn't be more true. After the loss of her brother, Sage wants Conall to stay. He was her brother's best friend and she wants him around. He is dealing with the loss of his best friend and doesn't know how to deal with the feelings he has as a result of that. Add in a few other complications and you will understand why their love is not destined to be easy for either of them. They both hold secrets, that neither want to reveal because of the damage that could come as a result of them. As the story develops, you get so wrapped up in their world, you can feel the warmth and love they have for one another, seeping from the pages and into your soul. Does that sound corny? Probably? Do I care? Nope. Not one bit. Why? Because it is true. As I said before Sibylla has an amazing talent for developing her characters and that talent gets better and better with each book. For me Always Conall, is a fantastic read and I highly recommend that you add this book to your TBR list. If it is already on your list, move it to the top!
My Rating
Always Conall (Bitterroot #2)
Cover Model Spotlight
Brian Laferrier is a 24 year old fitness/muscle model, who resides in Boston but travels often. He started modeling when he was 18 years of age. His favorite kind of music is oldies, he hates video games, as a hobby he writes. What he writes is a mystery, which may be something you will have to ask him yourself. He spends his mornings reading fit magazine, eating a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, naked. No, that’s a lie. He doesn’t do that, nice image though right? He actually prefers a bowl before bed, if he’s naked or not isn’t something he divulged.
While watching his news-feed on Facebook, it has become known that he has a low tolerance to negativity and often expresses ways to banish those thoughts. He loves being outdoors and doing Yoga as a way of stress relief. He takes comfort in the way the Buddhists thinks, which explains why his personality is good natured and humbling.
You can find Brian on Facebook, if you’re bold enough, send him a friend request. Or you can like the CJC Photography’s page to see more of Brian. Just do both, you know you want to….
Always Conall Prize Pack: includes Signed copy of Always Conall, Signed photograph of Brian Laferierre, Always Conall personalized Dog tags.
Sibylla Matilde grew up in the mountain valleys of Southwest Montana exploring the dusty Old West gold country on the back of a horse. She attended a two-room schoolhouse beginning in 1st grade & had the same teacher until she changed schools after 7th. Beginning at about age 12, Sibylla discovered historical romance, feeding off of work of Jude Deveraux & Lisa Kleypas. She loves a book that can make the reader run the gamut of emotions, from the sweet glow of new love to gut-wrenching heartache. She is a true romantic & always has stories floating around in her head, living in a fantasyland until she writes them down to free them.
Music is her emotional trigger. Growing up with a Wagnarian-loving mother, Sibylla was raised to treasure music that digs deep into the psyche, drawi ng out elation, sorrow, grief, desire. The soundtrack to her life includes many genres spanning centuries. She looooooooves Thirty Seconds to Mars (rather obsessively, actually… but, really, how can you NOT be crazy about this guy!? Jared Leto. Shhh. ) & pimps them out to all her friends through Spotify. She also delights in Met Opera HD broadcasts at her local movie theater & hopes (listening Met?) to someday see Diana Damrau reprise her role as Mozart’s Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte. Sibylla lives with her husband and hero who saved her from her own calamitous, young-adult self. He makes her laugh daily, even when things are tough. He’s proved to her that love really can heal a shattered soul. In 18 years, they have never had a fight, although argue regularly with their two teenage kids who have, unfortunately, inherited their father’s quick wit (unfortunate as it is a quick wit that Sibylla, herself, definitely does not possess – there is a reason she is a writer & not a stand-up comedian). They live a quiet life with their two weird little rescued Chiweenies. Wait… teenagers & little yap-dogs? OK, maybe not so quiet.
*sniffle* Love the review! :D
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