Savannah Marshall is a gifted flutist and daughter of musical royalty when she enrolls in the elite New England Conservatory of Music. Brilliant, eclectic and passionate, she lives music, but struggles with her plans for the future.
Gregory Fitzgerald is one of the most renowned cellists of his generation. A member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Conservatory, he is laser focused on his career to the exclusion of friends, family and especially romance.
When Gregory and Savannah’s paths cross in the classroom, it threatens to challenge more than their wildly differing beliefs on music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are put on the line as Gregory and Savannah play a symphony of passion and heartbreak.
In the final movement, Gregory and Savannah are handed their greatest challenge, as the loss of absolutely everything they’ve held as truths hangs in the balance.
NOCTURNE DEFINITION:
A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.
What happens when two of your favorite authors combine their writing skills…a symphony of words that are a treat for the eye.As sole authors both have proven that they have the chops to create stories full of beauty, angst, and joy.Together they are pushing the limits while taking angst to a whole new level.
“The music demanded a devotion that required every bit of attention I could muster, no matter how painful it might be, no matter how much time it took. I’d devoted my life to music, letting it take priority…over everything.”
Nocturne is more than just a love story.From personal self-discovery to the moral struggle of what is right and what your heart wants to do.Savannah and Gregory are both complicated and beautifully flawed.Savannah is fighting to overcome the shadow of musical greatness while Gregory is fighting for control.As a teacher, Gregory believes that music is a set of structured lines and notes on a staff that can be mastered with practice.With practice comes the ability to create greatness.Gregory approaches life with a similar mindset believing that music and life are both works in progress that scream for militant hard work with no room for creativity.Savannah is a rule breaker.For Savannah music is creation.Can Savannah school the teachers that life can be taken from flat to sharp while still keeping your musical morals in tack?
“You’re always so…structured. But broody.Dark. Sometimes I think there’s something inside of you just ready to explode.”
The push and pull that unfolds between Savannah and Gregory is anything but structured as they both test moral boundaries.They are both challenging the limits.
“Gregory stripped himself bare to me on that stage, going against his musical boundaries, pushing his personal limits, and he was asking me, again…”
This story spans ten years and will rock you to your musical core.We see Savannah and Gregory’s growth.Savannah’s transition into adulthood and Gregory stepping up to be the man she needs.Will they both find their coda together?
“She was myperfect accompaniment, and I feared that I’d ruined that chance forever.”
This duet between Andrea and Charles is full on harmony.After picking up Andrea’s Ten Days of Perfect I was hooked and through her I found Charles.Knowing and loving both authors work I thought I would be able to pick out each of their personal writing styles.I was so wrong.This story flowed with beauty and drew me in with musical highs and lows.Nocturne is a treat for the eye and the soul.This book will test your moral compass and turn everything you thought you believed in upside down.Black and white becomes gray and as in music everything is not as it seems. I am in debt to the writing Gods for bring these writing soul mates together.
“Music always sounded better with him. With us.”
Andrea Randall
I started writing poetry long before writing fiction. I firmly believe Poetry is a solid foundation for all other forms of writing. It taught me that a single word can make or break the world.
I write fiction because my characters have a story and they want me to tell it.
I hope you enjoy the pieces of my soul that I share with you.
Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the Thompson Sisters series and Republic: A Novel of America’s Future.
Addison Snow is your typical teenager. She has a family that loves her, friends that make her laugh, and she’s wrapped up in the excitement of graduating high school and going off to college to pursue her dream of becoming an author. When her mother, who also happens to be Addison’s best friend, dies unexpectedly, her world comes to a crashing halt. Death changes everyone… To make the pain go away, Addison and her father travel down separate, dark paths. She chooses to end her grief forever, while he drowns his sorrows in the bottom of a bottle. How do you learn to live again when the most important person in your life is gone? Addison struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. Instead of getting back to being the carefree teenager she once was, she’s stuck handling all of the responsibilities that should have been her father’s. She has no time to grieve, no time for emotions, and no time for happiness…until Zander Reinhardt walks in. All it takes is one little handwritten note on a napkin to kick-start her back to life and help her realize that maybe there’s more to that life than pain. But can it really be that simple? Can she really trust this man who makes her feel alive again for the first time in a year? Addison and Zander both have secrets they aren’t ready to share. When the truth finally comes out, is it enough to tear them apart or has something bigger than themselves always been watching over them, pushing them together, making sure they both get their happily ever after?
I feel in love with Tara’s comic timing and quick wit in The Chocolate Series!Tara has a way with words and in person she is 100% better then you can imagine and when I found out she was tackling an issues so personal to her I knew this read would prove to be her best yet.The book starts with two words…For Mom.With these two words I knew that this book would touch my heart.Our family and friends create the person we become and when we lose them we lose a piece of ourselves.Dealing with this loss is a pain like no other and all we can do is pick up those pieces, honor their memory, and create new pieces that will keep you whole while never losing what was so special about them.
Watch Over Me is a remarkable story.Tara has proven that even in life’s darkest moments when you feel all hope is lost someone is watching over you.Even in death we never lose the ones we love.I remember when I lost my cousin while he working as a State Highway Portal Man.This event rocked my family.What I found amazing was even with the number of people at the wake reaching 5,000 my aunt was able to meet and great every last person and did it with a smile.She told me that he will always be with her and with all of us.I didn’t understand that at the time.I couldn’t understand how you could find hope within the pain.After reading this book I understand why she was able to smile and honor the man her son was.
Addison found herself at the end of the line and reaching for anything that could give her hope.She lost one parent and the other one is has lost himself.While working to keep her mother’s dream alive Addison sees that Zander maybe that hope.Proving that the simple things in life like napkins and children’s toys can rebuild what was lost, Zander finds the opening in Addison’s heart.Addison difficult journey is one that she tries to walk alone bu with all his good intentions can Zander push through Addison’s walls?
Bravo Tara!This book is a must read for anyone dealing with the death of a loved one.The emotions in this book are real and raw.Through Tara’s words you can feel the pain, joy, hope, and sadness just as Addison does.This book not only entertains but heals.Watch Over Me is a book that stands alone and will hold its importance in the years to come.Happy endings are not always traveled to by a straight line.The road can twist and turn and sometime stop all together but you have to keep going and seeing Addison’s journey lets the reader know that even in your darkest hour there is always someone to watch over you.Thank you Tara for showing us that real can be beautiful. 5 STARS!
A minor penalty that is not called until the offending team gains control of the puck. As long as the non-offending team maintains possession, the referee allows play to continue and signals a delayed penalty by raising his arm.
I’m Evan Mason, an NHL hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks. I spend my nights roughing up two hundred pound defensemen and, at times, spend more time in the penalty box than I do on the ice.
That’s my job.
One night changed everything I thought I once knew about my life on, and off, the ice.
A girl.
A brutally beaten girl left to die in an alley.
I don’t know why or how but something made me stay that night after taking her to the hospital. I didn’t know her, nor did I have an obligation to stay but something inside of me rooted me there telling me I should stay. Saving a life is worth something. At least I thought so. And I wouldn’t have been me if I just simply left her there.
Any man who put his heart and soul into a game of hockey couldn’t just walk away when someone needed them. She had no one else right now. The same guy who saw determination where there was desire, now saw hope where there was once despair.
I couldn’t leave. That wouldn’t be me. No, not a man that put all he had into something some called just a game. I couldn’t walk away from her holding onto life, weak and powerless to something she had no control over.
So I stayed. In a room full of family members praying for their loved ones to pull through, I prayed for a girl I didn’t know and had never met before, to have a beating heart. While others’ sorrows turned to grieving pain, I sat waiting on the words of the unknown.
No bond is stronger than the ones you’ll bleed for.
FIVE SUPER STARS!
I loved, LOVED this book! There is something about athletes in books that just make me swoon. Shey Stahl’s writing is amazing! I am not very familiar with hockey but I feel like I know so much about it after reading this book.
Evan Mason is an NHL Defenseman who was walking to his place one night after a hanging out with his hockey player friends. He felt something pull him towards an alley and there he finds a girl who was badly beaten and left almost to die. He brings her to the hospital and from there, he could not leave her. This story is full of heart, angst, and funny moments. I was laughing one minute, angry another minute, and crying at another second. I felt a wide array of emotions while reading this book because of how Ms. Stahl delivers the story in such a wonderful way.
The story is told on both POV and as a reader, I was able to get into the minds of the characters. Evan is a mature 21 y.o. and Ami is young at 18 but the tragic experiences that she has suffered has made her tough in life. The characters are relatable and the secondary characters have so much personalities that I am looking forward to the next books in the Crossing the Line Series.
The cover is very appropriate for the story. I believe that the guy in the cover is Evan Mason – he is young, hot, and blue-eyed. And in his eyes, you can see his determination and principles that he stood for all throughout the book. I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait for more!
With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.
Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.
Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?
Ahh-ma-zing! Let me start of by saying that Jet will be put into my list of book boyfriends. Now that’s out of the way, I’d like to give you something substantial here. After all, I am writing a review.
The cover is not your typical book-rocker cover. And, I think this is one of the best features of the book. It shows you that Jet can connect to you on a realistic level – that rockers are not all hard abs and muscles (though there’s nothing wrong about them). He’s a guy who loves rock and he “rolls” with his band. There are many facets to Jet’s personality and I think Ms. Crownover is adept at making the readers connect to him. He is deep and troubled but he’s also a very nice guy. He’s a bad boy but he has a lot of heart. The juxtaposition of his many sides makes him such a complex character to read about and I had fun discovering what makes him tick. And Ayden, the Southern belle with the mile-long legs, makes Jet tick and twist in all the good and bad places.
Ayden’s a very interesting girl. She has a secret that she’s trying to run away from. Her past is something that she’d like to forget. But, in order for her to have any type of future with Jet, she has to face her demons and open up to him about them. She’s a very strong girl and such a great heroine. I loved her character so much! I always like strong and capable women in my books and Ayden is one hell of a girl. She is caught between her feelings for Jet and her indecisiveness to let him know about her past. And when she finally does tell him, Jet reacts in a way that the readers would not expect and the story unfolds into another twist and you cannot help but want to read the book in one sitting.
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. The author did such a great job in keeping the readers in suspense. There were steamy scenes and there was a lot of sexual tension in the book. There were lots of funny moments too that made me fall off the chair and cry in tears (of joy). The storyline is distinct, unique, and has the author’s special way of writing stamped all over it. I think the author’s writing is flawless and exceptional. I’ve highlighted a lot of quotes in this book, just like I did in Rule.
I look forward to reading more and more of Jay Crownover’s books. Her Marked Men Series has the makings of a great and unforgettable series and I’m super stoked to learn that she is now writing full-time because honestly, seriously, unequivocally, I cannot wait for Rome’s story next.
5+++++Stars. Not enough stars for this!!!!
Jay Crownover is the bestselling author of Rule. Like the characters in her Marked Men series, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters and that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.
The third part in The Blackstone Affair series: A love on the brink of being destroyed. The fight of a lifetime to keep it alive.
Big surprises are on the horizon for Ethan and Brynne as they struggle to adjust to what life has thrown at them. Demons from the past are threatening to destroy the passionate bond they’ve forged despite their vow that nothing will ever keep them apart. A truly devastating loss coupled with the promise of a new hope opens their eyes to what is most important, but is it possible for the lovers to move on from the painful histories that continue to haunt them? A stalker is still lurking in the shadows, plotting evil amidst the distraction of the 2012 Olympic games in London. Brynne and Ethan are on the cusp of losing everything as the stakes rise. Will they yield to circumstances beyond their control or will they give every ounce of fight they have left to save each other and win the ultimate prize of a life together?
Eyes Wide Open is a passion-wrought story that shows us what pure love can achieve when tested and what the heart can accomplish despite danger and adversity.
Holy hotness!! Eyes Wide Open now tops my list of all time favorite reads. That. Is. All.
Ethan Blackstone is the James Dean of book boyfriends. Yes, that’s right, the James Dean of book boyfriends. Riane Miller is a genius and has done a phenomenal job taking all the qualities a woman could ever want in a man and multiplying them to the tenth degree. The alpha male with a soft side, the sex god with a heart? My insides are laying in a puddle at my feet!!! This book took over my life and I now have a new hobby… I now spend my time looking for my “Ethan.” Every song I hear makes me think of him and all books I read find me comparing the male character to the “man of my dreams.” My life will never be the same. Who doesn’t want Ethan to bury himself in her and get lost inside of them? I’m fairly certain I am not the only woman out there in dire need of a panty change after this book!!!
It’s true. This book rocked my world. The first two books impeccably laid out the characters of Brynne and Ethan causing us to become vested in their story. They became familiar, people we desperately cared about. We knew them, we related and we wanted them to succeed. Neither was perfect, but yet they were so perfect for each other. Eyes Wide Open took already adored characters and gave them so many new elements and layers. It tied up all the loose ends perfectly and gave us the the missing pieces in understanding the rawness that made them so real. It picked up right where the last book left off and left us sitting on the edge of our seats. Now throw in some amazing curve balls, and it was a roller coaster of emotions. This was an intensely erotic love story, full of passion, angst, and beautifully tender moments. The love these two have for one another can not be surpassed, it can’t be swayed or broken. They learned not only to trust each other, but to trust themselves in the process. Their love opened their eyes to a future of endless possibilities. Their eyes are now wide open.
Riane Miller has a true gift of pen to paper. Her words perfectly portrayed an amazing love story of two people, each with a past and each with demons, but showed us that sometimes true love really can conquer all. Sometimes love is enough. I can not wait to read the next installment of The Blackstone Affair. The possibilities of what will happen next has my insides all a flutter.
Take a number girls because I am first in line to volunteer to be Ethan’s “Beautiful American Girl.”
Uhm… Yes please! **SWOON** 5 SHINING STARS
Raine Miller has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland book at the tender age of thirteen. And it’s a safe bet she’ll never stop, because now she writes them too! Granted Raine’s stories are edgy enough to turn Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking, a hot, sexy hero never goes out of fashion. A part-time teacher and writer of sexy romance stories every other chance she gets pretty much fills her days. She has a handsome prince of a husband, and two brilliant sons to pull her back into the real world if the writing takes her too far away. Her sons know she likes to write stories, but gratefully have never asked to read any, thank God! Raine loves to hear from readers and to chat about the characters in her books.
The emotional rollercoaster of the USA TODAY bestselling Give & Take series by Kelli Maine continues with MJ and Maddie’s story!
DECEPTION
Maddie Simcoe knows the devastation that comes from keeping secrets. Now, she’s desperate to move on from the heartbreak that almost destroyed her — trading wild passion that once made her knees weak for a life of comfortable stability. But before Maddie can start over, she must return home to put the past behind her once and for all…
PASSION
When Maddie blows back into MJ Rocha’s life, nothing will stop him from proving to her that walking away from him was the biggest mistake of her life — not even the engagement ring she wears. Her every look, every touch tells MJ that the fire that once raged between them still burns hot, and MJ won’t give up until Maddie gives in to the inferno.
REDEMPTION
Trapped by a hurricane roaring through Turtle Tear Island, MJ and Maddie find shelter in each others’ arms. While the lightning flashes, MJ and Maddie are helpless to fight bonds of desire that tie them together. But just as they’re about to surrender to the torturous longing that consumes them both, the storm unleashes violent secrets from MJ’s past…secrets that could wash away all MJ and Maddie’s hopes of forever…
When leaving is the only option you have been given, how could you make him understand?
It wasn’t an easy choice for Maddie. She never wanted to hurt MJ but leaving is the only sane choice left to protect him from getting hurt and from him knowing the truth.
She knows she could never turn back the pages of time. She couldn’t change the past. She knows she couldn’t be with him without her telling him the secrets that were not meant to be discovered. But those same secrets have start weighing heavily upon her.
It was never a secret how much I love this series. I have always been a fan of Kelli Maine’s writing from Taken, No Take Backs until this third installment, Taken by Storm. I have waited so long for this book and I would have to say that Kelli did not disappoint. It was all worth the wait. Kelli Maine’s ability to get me into the head of her characters is phenomenal. It is an incredible story that kept me on the edge of my seat at every moment. This book kept me reading until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I had to get to the end. I love this kind of mystic story and fell right into it, and enjoyed it very much. I found myself being drawn into the story and anxiously awaiting to see what next revelation was going to unfold for MJ and Maddie. This story had its scary moments, but so much more was involved, there was the unique blend of romance and love, and what one does for love. When I thought I had the mystery figured out, Kelli managed to throw me off with another unexpected turn of events! If you are looking for a story that is full of intrigue, then you will want to get this now!
~5 SHINING STARS~
USA Today Bestselling author, Kelli Maine, spends humid summers and frigid winters in Ohio glued to her laptop keyboard. Taken, a USA Today Bestseller, Nook Bestseller and Indie Reader Top Ten Bestseller, is the first in the Give and Take series and Kelli’s debut erotic romance. No Take Backs: A Taken Novella is Taken’s follow up. Taken By Storm is next in the series, followed by Take Me Back and Given. Additional books and novellas are planned for the series.
Everything always seems to fall into place for twenty-four year-old Aubrey Jenson, except for when it comes to her luck with men. Bad boys always draw her in and crush her heart, and Black Falcon’s lead guitarist, Riff, is no exception. After sharing a few wild nights together, she leaves him behind, knowing a guy like Riff isn’t the relationship type, merely just a play thing.
When she returns to New York, she tries to get the passion she felt in Riff’s arms out of her head by dating Isaac, a successful representative at Center Stage Marketing. Just when she thinks she’s forgotten Riff, she’s forced to see him again when her best friend, Lanie, ropes her into being a bridesmaid for her upcoming wedding to Black Falcon front man, Noel. Sparks fly instantly between Aubrey and Riff when they’re forced to reunite, and suddenly she finds herself caught between the man that’s good for her and the one who completely rocks her in every way.
**New Adult Romance–Book 2 in the Black Falcon series. This book can be read without reading book one.**
Pam: Hey Cris so are you ready for this? *jumping up and down*
Cris: Really? What now Pam? I really think that you may have some issues! *folds arms and leans against the wall*
Pam: Oh Cris! *shaking head* you know you love me and my crazy ideas! I don’t think a cross country road trip to see Black Falcon is at all crazy. We are stocked with Oreos and milk! What better way to rock out? So get your butt in the car because we have a show to catch!
Cris: *snicker* Well we always have fun so ok let’s roll! Just don’t make me moon anyone or any other stupid ideas that may pop up in that crazy head of yours!
Pam: You know me by now doll! Skies the limit! * cheshire cat grin*
The car is packed and Black Falcon is turned up to an 11 on the sound system, windows down and hitting the highway
Cris: So can we talk about the book?
Pam: Fo sho! *passes a bag of Oreos to Cris* First Riff! Yummy! *fans face* Trust me if I got my hands on a golden ticket I would be happier than Augustus Gloop in Wonka’s Chocolate factory!
Cris: huh! You bet! I’d kill to have that freaking ticket! LOL Im head over heels for Riff. That boy is sooo damn hot! Imagine reading the book 3 times in a row? I just can’t get enough of him. Sure we loved Noel in the first book. But Riff has gotten under my skin, it isn’t funny anymore! I’m seriously in Riff withdrawal mmm let me rephrase that…Rock My Bed withdrawal! How bout you Pam?
Pam: I love that with Rock My Bed that we got a second look at the whole Noel and Lane story. I think that Michelle did an amazing job of pulling both stories together. I so feel in love with Riff in this story and to see his side of the Noel/Sophie issue really showed that he was a kind and loving person!
Cris: Ditto! I love that almost everyone in Book 1 were still part of it. Michelle was able to put a spotlight for each even introducing another character, Isaac, but without overshadowing the main characters. Riff and Aubrey’s story still stood out. Both characters are so interesting to read. One is looking for love while the other is running away from it.
Pam: He was so pained *sighs* but Michelle wrote him so endearing. It was impossible for Aubrey not to fall for him!
Cris: His character is very complicated. He has suffered so much in the past that pushed him not to believe in love anymore. He was so broken, I wanted to hug him everytime he mentions about his past. And I guess you would agree with me that Oreos have a deeper meaning to us now. Bahaha
Pam: HEY! There is a semi coming…ready? *the new game…air guitar truck honks! Cris puts on your best rocker performance and we are counting how many semi honks we collect*
Cris: Really!?!?!
Pam: Yes come on! We will never see these people again!
I turn of the tunes and Cris is giving her best Riff while Pam is pumping a fist out the driver’s side window
Pam: Score! Whats that 10 or 11?
Cris: 11! Ok back to important things!
Pam: Ok! *turns radio down* what were you thoughts on Aubrey? Both her and Riff had a lot to deal with in this book. It always amazes me that everyone no matter what your background or life style is has a personal battle that they are at odds with.
Pam: A lot of time we spend our life running from the one thing we need the most and always try to mold to what we think is best but sadly in the end the only person we hurt is ourselves. At times I was yelling at my iPad…Really Aubrey!! He is a rock god! Get with the program!
Cris: I agree with you there. But let’s admit that even though sometimes I wanted to kick her ass too, Aubrey’s character is irresistibly adorable. She’s not your typical female lead who has a weak character. She knows what she wants and knows how to play her game. And I loved her for that.
Pam: Over all I think that this book far passed anything I could hope for both Riff and Aubrey! It made my heart hurt, made me laugh and just reaffirmed why we all love a bad boy rocker! *raises hands* I bow to the rocker gods!
Cris: It may be a better idea if you keep your hands on the wheel!
Pam: Not down for the church of Black Falcon? *laughing to the point of tears* So you tell me? What was your overall feeling about Rock My Bed? *picks up her bottle of milk as a make shift microphone for Cris* you’re live…spill it doll!
Cris: Well I have said it and will say it again. The BEST yet so far! I loved books 1 and 2, no doubt about it! But I gotta say that Michelle has exceedingly managed to provide us with enough plot resolution and character development to make the novel satisfying in a self contained-way. This book goes to my top favorite list! And I cant wait for the next ones to be out!
Pam: Ok enough play. We have lots of miles to cover if we expect to make it to the show and we need a fill-up.
Cris: *flips open an empty bag of Oreos* Make that gas and Oreos!
Pam: Why didn’t you say so earlier? *sigh*I bet if Riff was here we would never run out of Oreos!
Cris: Well right now we are out and unless you plan on one cranky Black Flacon fan for the rest of this trip *points to herself* you better pull this car in to the nearest 7/11.
Pam: Well we don’t want that now do we!
5+++ FREAKING STARS!
New York Times Best Selling author Michelle A. Valentine is a Central Ohio nurse turned author of erotic romance of forthcoming novels ROCK THE HEART (2012) and ROCK MY BED (2013). Her love of hard-rock music, tattoos and sexy musicians inspired her BLACK FALCON series.
Well I couldn’t help but do it to her! I knew she would think I was crazy but I will try anything…
Cris – You brought me to a Tattoo and Piercing Parlor??? I’m not getting pierced!!!
Pam – Chill out chica!! I have a plan! Remember when you told me about that book. You know that one with the MAJOR hot guy!
Cris – Sure do! Fight With Me by Kristen Proby. It is a follow up to Come Away With Me and the second book in With Me Seattle series. Here goes the synopsis…
“Jules Montgomery is too busy and content with her life to worry about a man, especially one Nate McKenna. If growing up with four brothers has taught her anything, she knows to stay away from sexy men with tattoos and motorcycles. That goes double if he’s your boss. During the one incredible night they shared, he violated the no fraternization policy…among other things, and it won’t happen again. Jules won’t risk her career for mind-blowing sex, no matter how much her body and her damn heart keep arguing with her. Nate McKenna could give a shit about the no fraternizing policy. He wants Jules and he’ll have her. The rules could bend around them, or be damned. He’s not a man to be taken lightly, and Jules Montgomery is about to find out just how he responds to being pushed aside after the best night of sex he’s ever had. She can fight all she wants, but he’ll have her in his bed in the end.”
Cris – Ok Pam but what does that have to do with you dragging me to a Tattoo and Piercing Parlor.
Pam – Well I read the book.
Cris – And…so did I. I told you! It was HOT! It is on the top of my book list! Nate McKenna is one of my all-time book boyfriends! A man that every woman wants!! (Thank you Kristen Proby for an ARC of this book! It made my morning after having a bad day!)
Pam – That’s why we are here don’t you see? Tattoo and piercings works for Jules so maybe if we hang around I can find me a man and then maybe I can get something pierced!?!?!
Cris – Ok I get where you want to relate to the book. I loved Jules since the first book, Come Away With Me. She’s real, fun, confident, independent…no pretensions. She follows her heart, says anything she wants to say and doesn’t really give a fuck of what other people will think or say. Having said that I love ya girl but your no Jules and I am sure Nate is NOT running around here.
Pam – I get I am not Jules! Now Nate definitely took me by surprise! He posts as a very professional and intelligent guy, but when you get to know him better, you’ll find out that there’s more to him. He’s over the top sweet, likes to cook, very protective and he definitely knows what he wants and is willing to do everything to get it! Isn’t he dreamy? Can you fault a girl for hoping? I’m not in a total dream world! Kristen had to have some truth in her story and maybe I can find some of that here!
Cris -Couldn’t agree more! Everybody knows I’m a fan of Kristen’s writing. She has a clear take on how to describe scenes in detail especially the steamy ones which would require an intricate narration. Her characters are always 99% believable and readers can easily relate to them. Saying that I really don’t think that she meant for her readers to stock local tattoo shop!
Pam -I get it! She wrote a book that grabbed my attention from the prologue and held it until the end. Jules and Nate’s chemistry is fascinating! There were moments when I caught myself smiling, laughing, crying, biting my lips and swooning! So I say again, can you fault me for wanting to try???
Cris – I guess not. I loved all the characters, from the main ones up to the supporting ones especially the whole Montgomery clan. I loved the ending; I loved every freaking thing about that book! Ok so maybe you’re not all that crazy now that I think about it! The one thing that every author wants to do is have the reader relate to their words. Now maybe Kristen didn’t think some crazy girl like you would get tatted up but I get ya!
Pam – Exactly! Now what to get pierced? Any input?
Cris – What! Your really going to do it? What are you getting?
Pam – That’s only for me and future Nate look alike to know!
Cris & Pam’s Rating:
SIT-DOWN WITH KRISTEN PROBY
The Book Avenue Review had the honor of “sitting down” with Kristen Proby to get down and dirty about what she gets down and dirty about…her books. As the world is welcoming her book Fight With Me and patiently waiting for the next in the “With Me In Seattle” series we at The Book Avenue Review just had to dig deep into that hot and steamy head of hers! Here is what she had to say…
The Book Avenue Review ~ Does the Pacific North West inspire your writing and where else have you lived? (Submitted by Carole Ronneberg)
Kristen Proby~ Hi Carole! Yes, the PNW is beautiful, fun and I love it here. It does inspire the setting of the With Me In Seattle Series. I grew up in a small town called Whitefish, Montana, and also lived for about eight years in Portland, Oregon.
The Book Avenue Review ~ What would make your top 5 book list? (Submitted by Michelina Di Campo)
Kristen Proby ~ This is a tough question, Michelina! Hmm… Okay, I’m going to narrow this down to the past year because if it were of all time, I’d have to list far more than five.
1. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
2. Fifty Shades Darker by EL James
3. Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
4. Taken by Kelli Maine
5. Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec
There are SO MANY books on my TBR list! I don’t read nearly as much as I used to.
The Book Avenue Review ~ After the “With Me In Seattle” series is done what’s next? Are you planning a different direction such as Tara Sivec did with “A Beautiful Lie”? (Submitted by Sandy Roman Borrero)
Kristen Proby ~ I’m not sure what’s coming after WMIS. I still have five books to write for this series! I’ve been tossing around the idea of writing about rock stars, or maybe another family saga set in Montana, but that’s all up in the air. I’m completely submerged in the Montgomery family!
The Book Avenue Review ~ Do you use personal experiences for your sex scenes? Do you try the fun stuff (motorcycle…)? (Submitted by Kristen Teaff)
Kristen Proby ~ Ha! Well, I don’t think it would be appropriate to go into detail on this. I think as a writer, there are certain aspects of my personal life that bleed into the story. That’s inevitable. But I have a pretty active imagination.
The Book Avenue Review ~ What was the inspiration for the characters, such as Luke and Natalie, in the “With Me In Seattle” series? Did you build off real people or were they totally fictional? (Submitted by Michelle McDonald Cammack)
Kristen Proby ~ All of the characters in this series are fictional. I have a whole bunch o’ people, who aren’t real, running around in my head. Since the sex is so hot did you find it hard to focus on the relationship between any of the characters when a lot of the story was based on the sex? I think that the sex enhances the relationships. In most cases, as far as I know, when people are falling in love, they have a lot of sex. Don’t they? They are learning each other, inside and out, and I hope I weave the sex in so that it compliments their story.
The Book Avenue Review ~ What point of view will the rest of the “With Me In Seattle”? The male or female characters or will it alternate? (Cassie Fillmore)
Kristen Proby ~ I’m sure you’ve noticed that each of the epilogues in all three stories have been from the hero’s POV. I will continue that trend through the series. In future books, I may throw in a chapter here and there from the hero’s POV if I feel that we need to see what the heck he’s thinking, but the majority of the story will be from the heroine’s POV.
The Book Avenue Review ~ Do the covers reflect what your envisioned the characters to be or do you just go with what you like? Do you have a clear cut view of them in your head as you write? (Submitted by Clista Seals)
Kristen Proby ~ Aren’t my covers beautiful? I want the covers to convey the feel of the book. Unfortunately, we are limited in the photos available to use, and so I just find what I like the best and hire a cover artist to enhance it to make it special to my book. For the FIGHT WITH ME cover, Nate has short hair, but as you know, in the story his hair is long. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an option to use a photo with a long haired man, so I went with a photo that best conveyed the feel of the story, and I love the intimate feel of that cover. Yes, I have a clear picture in my head of the characters as I write. I see what they’re wearing, the expressions of their faces, what the room looks like that they’re in. It’s very vivid in my head, and I hope I show that on the page as well.
The Book Avenue Review ~ Growing up did you always know you wanted to write? Who inspired you? (Submitted by Tess Halim)
Kristen Proby ~ Yes, I’ve always been a writer. I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t making up stories. I became passionate about writing in high school, thanks to an amazing English teacher.
The Book Avenue Review ~ Who would you love to see play Nate and Jules on the big screen? (Submitted by Tess Halim)
Kristen Proby ~ Wow, I haven’t even given this a thought because it just seems crazy to me. Um, I don’t know. I still have a hard time finding photos of men online that do Nate justice. He’s so fabulous in my head. I haven’t found an actor that looks like him yet.
The Book Avenue Review ~ Would you let your kids read your books? (Submitted by Tess Halim)
Kristen Proby ~ Absolutely NOT!
Thanks, everyone for your questions! And thank you, Cris and Pam, for hosting me today! I hope you all enjoy the book. Happy Reading!
Now that we have learned a little bit more about Kristen and the “With Me In Seattle” series I think it is safe to say that we will be waiting with bated breath for the next book “Play With Me”. We don’t know about you but if it is anything like the first two make room in your schedule for an uninterrupted date with Meg and Will. ~Happy reading
“To douchebags! he said, gesturing to Brad. And to girls that break your heart, he bowed his head to me. His eyes lost focus. And to the absolute fucking horror of losing your best friend because you were stupid enough to fall in love with her.” ― Jamie McGuire, Beautiful Disaster
“You know why I want you? I didn’t know I was lost until you found me. I didn’t know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You’re the one thing I’ve got right. You’re what I’ve been waiting for, Pigeon.”
Now tell me, how can you resist a guy like that? I can’t remember how many times I have read this book. I have even lost count the times I have marked the pages so I can easily review my favorite scenes, highlighted every crazy lines that Travis and Abby have sweetly thrown to each other.
Meet the Characters:
Abby Abernathy: a girl who was trying to leave outside the shadow of her dark past. She moved town and changed college with America, her best friend and the only person aware of her past. Not only did she witness it, but countless times she helped Abby escaped from it.
Travis Maddox: the bare knuckle fighter who tends to sleep around with almost every woman in the campus. His irresistible charm makes them hard to say no! But he has some issues… a lot of them! He is possessive and overprotective! He had his fair share of life misfortunes and had never figured out how to cope with them. But he was the perfect match for Abby!!!
The Love – Hate Story:
Can Travis Maddox finally be tamed and be perfect enough to deserve Abby’s love?
Can Abby manage to get through the ugly things that came between them?
Can they both hold on to what they believed in despite the damaged pasts that have shaken them?
Crazy, exciting and insanely addictive! The intensity and passion that Jamie McGuire has created between Travis and Abby will definitely gets right under your skin, with all those emotional and tremendous “push and pull” scenes…it will surely make your head spin!
Their relationship may not be a prime example of what most people would want to be involved with, but i found it certainly unique and inspirational. I love the idea that LOVE can make someone want to change. It isn’t easy to change! Changing a behavior or a habit takes a lot of time, consistency and recognition. We are who we are because of how we were raised and the experiences we’ve had. So changing a person would mean a lot of compromise and negotiation.
But my lingering question was…
“how much of yourself should you change for the one you love?”
Well I guess, it’s really not about the ups and downs, its about who you ride it with that makes the whole journey worthwhile.
Rating:
…watch out for the second book , with Travis’ pov!
more exciting things to come for Walking Disaster , April 2013!!!
Savannah Marshall is a gifted flutist and daughter of musical royalty when she enrolls in the elite New England Conservatory of Music. Brilliant, eclectic and passionate, she lives music, but struggles with her plans for the future.
