Dating-ish, an all new standalone from the USA Today bestselling Knitting in the City romantic comedy series by Penny Reid is available now! 'Dating-ish' can be read as a standalone, is a full length 100k word novel, and is book #6 in the Knitting in the City Series. There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris: 1) She's fed up with online dating, 2) She's so fed up, she's willing to forego the annoyance and consider more creative alternatives, and 3) She knows how to knit. After the most bizarre and irritating first date in the history of humankind, Marie is looking for an alternative to men. With the help of her friends, she quickly identifies a few possibilities: Need a cuddle? Use a professional cuddler. Need affirmation? Get yourself a life coach. Need an orgasm? Try orgasm meditation! Why does she need the hassle of a romantic partner when she can meet all her needs with paid services? But then her irritating date resurfaces. And he's not at all the person she thought he was. And he suggests a different--and crazier--solution to her dilemma . . . As everyone knows (or will soon come to realize), traditional relations between humans are a thing of the past. Robots are our future. And if robots are our future, then why do we need other people at all? Read Today! Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2mowgNq Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/1pnSeh iBooks: https://goo.gl/F3o9Qw Nook: https://goo.gl/imzdIJ Kobo: https://goo.gl/DPwGEb Google Play: https://goo.gl/cWe2Uk Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2mG5GAc Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/707692 Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/VW1TxJ ExcerptHe was quiet for bit, we both were, and I felt myself relax more and more. His palm took a detour every so often, dutifully skipping my hip and sliding along my side, and then back to my leg. Soon, I was so relaxed I felt drowsy. I felt fingers in my hair, moving the mass away from my neck with treasuring strokes just before Matt nuzzled the back of my neck, causing goosebumps to scatter over my skin. “Mmm.” I smiled. “Hey. Jared said no tickling.” My voice sounded sleepy. “Does this tickle?” Matt asked softly, nuzzling me again. I felt the brush of his lips—not a kiss, a brush—paired with hot breath against the bare skin of my neck and a zing shot straight down my spine, making my toes curl and a sudden hot ache twist in my lower belly. Oh no. I knew that ache. I hadn’t felt it because of another person’s touch in quite a long time. Nevertheless, no one ever forgets that ache. My back arched instinctively, my bottom pressing back against his crotch, and I stiffened. I felt my nipples harden, strain beneath the cotton of my bra. I was now fully awake. No longer drowsy. Nope. Not even a little. Matt stiffened, too. His movements abruptly ceasing. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he asked, alarm coating his words, and in the next moment his hand was suspended in the air above me. “Did I touch something I shouldn’t?” I exhaled a short, nervous laugh, gripped by the urge to sit up. “No. No. You didn’t.” I moved to the edge of the bed, righting myself, away from Matt, needing distance. “I’m good.” I gathered a silent breath and released it slowly because my pulse was racing. Crap, Marie. Get a grip. It’s Matt Simmons. Professor Matt. The big kid. Why are you reacting this way? “Did I . . .” These initial words were hesitant, and a moment of silence stretched before he continued, his tone comically teasing as he finished his thought. “Did I arouse you?” I snorted, shaking my head, laughing at his silly tone. Turning at the waist to peer at him over my shoulder, Matt was grinning at me, twisting a make-believe mustache between his thumb and forefinger. But then he stopped. “I did, didn’t I?” he pushed, his hand dropping. He looked pleased, if not a little amazed. I sighed, feeling a smidge embarrassed, and nodded. “Actually, yes. That’s a sensitive spot for most women.” “The back of your neck?” He lifted himself to one elbow, his eyes darting to my neck with keen interest. “My neck in general, actually.” “Huh.” Matt frowned thoughtfully. “Where else?” I pressed my lips together and gave him an incredulous look. “I’m not telling you that.” “Why not?” “Matt.” “What if I needed it for research reasons?” “Matt.” “What if I told you it was part of our questionnaire?” He tossed his legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking around to my side and offering me his hand. “You should give me a schematic of your body with the erogenous zones circled and rated.” “Let me guess, you want them rated on a ten-point scale,” I deadpanned as I accepted his hand, stood, and stepped away to gain some distance and straighten my shirt. He shrugged, crossing his arms, stalking after me. “Or exponential. I was going to say a Likert scale, but a logarithmic scale works, too.” Chuckling, appreciative of his attempt to diffuse my embarrassment and awkwardness with the joke, I realized Matt Simmons wasn’t a bad guy. He might even be a good guy, just a little . . . peculiar. And wants to replace romantic relationships with robots. Best not forget that detail. Yeah, he’d make an interesting friend. “Thanks.” I gave him a small smile. “For what?” His eyes moved between mine. “For the cuddle. Thanks for the cuddle, Matt.” “Anytime, Marie.” He grinned down at me, his eyes dancing as he leaned forward and whispered, “Anytime.” About the AuthorPenny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja. Connect with Penny: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/ Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD Twitter: @ReidRomance Newsletter: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/ www.pennyreid.ninja
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RELEASE BOOST
Title: Swear Series: Landry Family #4 Author: Adriana Locke Genre: Second Chance/Military Romance Release Date: May 15, 2017
BLURB
Ellie Pagan has a list of reasons to stay away from Ford Landry. It’s a mile long and was so much easier to stick to when he was a world away. Now that he’s standing in front of her—body hard and chiseled from a stint in the military, suit cut to perfection, and a smirk she could never resist—remembering all the reasons why just got a whole lot harder. Ford gets Ellie isn’t his biggest fan. He just doesn’t care. Standing in front of him, giving him hell, she’s even prettier than he remembered. All he can think about is how she felt in his arms, the taste of her kiss, the sound of her giggle in the middle of the night. He may not know how to win her back, but he does know this: he may have let her go once, but that’s one mistake he won’t make again. GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33543120-swea Join Adriana's group for lots of Release Week Fun! Join here: http://bit.ly/BBALGroup PURCHASE LINKS US: http://1click.bz/SwearAMZNUS UK: http://1click.bz/SwearAMZNUK CA: http://1click.bz/SwearAMZNCA AU: http://1click.bz/SwearAMZNAU Free in Kindle Unlimited Excerpt
"Are you saying I’m not glamorous?” I tease.
“Your sneakers with paint splattered over them are so, so glamorous, Ellie.” He laughs, a warm, rich, captivating sound that feels like a balm to so many of my wounds. It doesn’t fix anything, obviously, but it does soothe me somehow. “You always did have a way with words,” I joke, sighing for dramatic effect. “You should give me a chance to show you how much better I’ve gotten with words.” He shoots me a smile so sinful I have to look away. “I bet you have.” “I’ve gotten better at a lot of things,” he whispers. He searches my eyes as if he’s asking for permission and in my amped-up state, I’m not thinking clearly … because I smile. It’s a tiny fissure in my persona that he takes full advantage of. My back suctions against the paint behind it as Ford cages me in. One foot on the outside of each of mine, a hand planted on the wall on both sides of my face. My knees wobble the slightest bit as he leans down and feathers his lips over mine. They’re as soft as I remember and my eyes flutter closed as my chin angles towards him, wanting more. We move together effortlessly, like there hasn’t been a decade since the last time we kissed. ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE LANDRY FAMILY SERIE
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket. AUTHOR LINKS Website: http://www.adrianalocke.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoradrianalocke Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorALocke Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379774.Adriana_Locke Instagram: https://instagram.com/authoradrianalocke Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authoradrianalo/ Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Adriana-Locke/e/B00NPBY8FE Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/booksbyadrianalocke Goodreads Group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/159694-all-locked-up Newsletter: http://www.adrianalocke.com/
GIVEAWAY
There is a giveaway for a signed paperback of Swear and 2 x $10 Amazon gift cards (3 winners)
This is my stop during the book blitz for Saying I Do by Tracey Alvarez. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 19 till 25 May. See the tour schedule here: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/book-blitz-saying-i-do-by-tracey-alvare
Blurb:
Marriage and happily-ever-after are for suckers… Joe Whelan was fooled once on the way to the altar, and the Irish doctor isn’t about to be an eejit over a woman again. Especially not one who witnessed his broken-hearted humiliation years ago. He won’t be swayed by the sparks that fly whenever his eyes meet MacKenna’s or distracted by her sweet kisses. The only thing Joe cares about is preventing his sister from making the biggest marital mistake of her life. MacKenna Jones loves a good wedding—so long as she’s sewing the bride’s gown, not walking down the aisle herself. Falling for Joe Whelan’s sexy bedside manner wasn’t on the cards, neither was a seven-day road trip with him to Las Vegas, the Marriage Capital of the World. When the stakes are so high, will these two gun-shy cynics ever say I Do? You can find Saying I Do on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29904842-saying-i-do Listen to the soundtrack for Saying on I Do on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbJdPvEBMsygch3is5GjD4Ib_yXxSUTdB You can buy Saying I Do here: - Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DMHMHK - Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071DMHMHK - Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B071DMHMHK - Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B071DMHMHK - Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saying-i-do-tracey-alvarez/1126075328?ean=2940154084632 - Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/en/ebook/saying-i-do-2 - iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/saying-i-do/id1102506478 - Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62866 About the Author
Tracey Alvarez is a USA Today Bestselling Author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.
Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words. When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework. Follow Tracey on Twitter as @TraceyAlvrezNZ or Facebook as http://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor Her website is http://www.traceyalvarez.com and don't forget to sign up to her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu You can find and contact Tracey here: - Website: http://www.traceyalvarez.com - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TraceyAlvarezNZ - Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/TraceyAlvarez - Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/traceyalvarez/ - Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+TraceyAlvarez/posts - Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/traceyalvarez - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceyalvareznz/ - Newsletter: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu
Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Saying I Do. This giveaway ends May 25th. One winner will win a prize pack (over $65 value) which includes: ~ Playing For Fun signed paperback (Playing For Fun is Book 6 in the series, and features Mac's cousin Holly) ~ Fun NZ theme tote bag ~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Pure New Zealand Manuka Honey Rejuvenating Face Pack ~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Pure New Zealand Manuka Honey Conditioning Lip Balm ~ Alpine Silk Manuka Honey Hand Cream ~ Alpine Silk Manuka Honey with Propolis Triple Milled Luxury Soap ~ Handcrafted in New Zealand woven Hessian Kete with feathers ~ 4 New Zealand Paua Shell Wine Glass Charms ~ Author magnet (not pictured) ~ Author bookmark (not pictured) Giveaway rules * Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else. * All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but the author is unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster. * Entries close on May 25th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure Tracy Alvarez’s e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If the author doesn’t receive a reply from the winner in 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn. For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below. To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you'll need to purchase Saying I Do and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the last 4-word sentence at the end of Chapter 13? Pearl Abbott I made a choice. A single lie that changed everything. In that moment, my life stopped spinning out of control. Not because I found my way, but because I hit rock bottom. Hard. Now, I have a second chance. An opportunity to turn my life around and become the woman I’ve been too afraid to embrace. And I’m taking it. I never thought I would meet him. He challenges me, spurs my desire to show the world that one night will not define who I am. Roman Evans When the most beautiful blue-eyed blonde I’d ever seen slammed into me, my world was transformed. But the universe played a cruel joke and the woman of my dreams is a constant reminder of my nightmares. I lost someone once. A moment, a single action stole half of who I am. To allow myself to give in to my deepest desires feels like a betrayal and yet I’m drawn to her. So I lie to the world and ignore my heart until it nearly breaks in two and I can’t take it anymore. Live in the past or fight for the future? I made a choice. About the AuthorRachel Caid lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons. She is a self-proclaimed coffee addict with no plans of recovery and an avid reader of all types of romance. Her day job is very black and white, so she enjoys being able to lose herself in the colorful world of novels; whether it's reading or writing them. Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Facebook Reader Group
Today is the cover reveal for 23:27 by H.L. Roberts. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.
23:27 By H.L. Roberts Genre: General Fiction with sub genres of contemporary, romance, drama, and suspense. Age category: Young Adult Release Date: July 17, 2017
Blurb:
Fame. Money. Glory. These were all the things that you would expect from being famous. The bait that the producers of the industry would tempt you with to get you on their side. What they don't tell you though are all the inner tragedies that come along just as quickly. They don't tell you about the heartache that occurs when you realize that this wasn't what you wanted at all. They don't tell you about the pressure that's always on the verge of crushing you when you're forced to do everything that the public demands for and not what you truly desire. They don't tell you about the self hatred that would soon take over your entire being at the thought that you will never be good enough. No - they don't tell you these things at all. But, Lilith Rose will. When Lilith Rose, lead singer to one of the most famous rock bands around gets tired of all the lies and secrets that comes with being famous. She decides that it's time for all of it to stop and ends up revealing everything on a Facebook live stream. The result... "Part of me wants to die tonight, part of me wants it to be an accident, and part of me wants someone to notice and save me." - Lilith Rose. You can find 23:27 on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34826332-23 You can pre-order 23:27 on Amazon: http://smarturl.it/2327Amazon About the Author
H.L. Roberts is a short story writer and a contemporary novelist from a small town in Kentucky. She is currently in her third year of college where she is majoring in English Literature and minoring in Psychology. When she isn't reading a book you can find her raising awareness about mental illness, suicide prevention, and epilepsy.
You can find and contact H.L. Roberts here: - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hlrobertsofficial - Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HLRobertsAuthor - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hlrobertsofficial - Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693585.H_L_Roberts Giveaway There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of 23:27. Three winners will each win an ebook copy of 23:27 by H.L. Roberts. Open International. For a chance to win, enter the giveaway below: SynopsisMaybe a wild ride in a shiny black Mustang convertible, and some mother-daughter bonding is exactly what Dr. Kathryn Bailey needs, when she agrees to a road trip with her mother. Escaping the aftermath of a nasty breakup, and seeking to heal her broken heart, Kathryn has no idea what awaits her in the forested mountains of Elk Horn, WA. While traveling back to her favorite childhood destination, a run-in with the sexy town sheriff sets Kathryn on an unexpected course; one that may very well change her life, especially after becoming witness to something only spoken of in the hushed voices of local legend. When a horrific event rocks the sleepy, rural town, only days after her arrival, Kathryn is immediately drawn into a mystical world of sacred legend and folklore. Suddenly, she must question not only her eyes, but her beliefs. As she comes to terms with these newfound experiences, will she come to know that with love, believing isn’t always seeing? ReviewWe often think of death, and what awaits for us on the other side. Some of us, in the "believers" category, would even venture to say there is wonder, and love, and light, so pure and dazzling in Heaven; and perhaps fiery and anguish in the depths of Hell. We don't know what awaits for us. We just know that death is certain. Life should be treasured and lived, because we are never guaranteed our next breath. As a doctor, Kathryn knows full well about dealing with the precariousness and preciousness of life. She tries to patch our bodies up as best as she can, hoping and praying with us that we can make it to another year, another milestone that we feel we must cross.......but in the end, our paths won't waver. We may be granted another chance, but it's still there. Death looms over us, watching, waiting and I'm sure, very bored with our bargaining and pleading with a thing that is certain. And then there's Armel, Death's servant. He is neither here nor there, but serves as a guide to help us get from this side through whatever awaits for us on the other side. This book felt like a buildup of something grand, and it didn't disappoint as it climaxed to the finish. There is certainly wreckage, and disbelief. Mass confusion and heartbreak. I'm not sure how I can cover all of it in one swoop. But, trust that there is something deeper within these pages that isn't just about a doctor and an quasi-angel of death, or how she escapes from one cheating and wayward heart, and runs into the solid and steady heartbeat of her soulmate. I cried over some parts, especially regarding the relationship of a mother and a daughter. It could be that I am emotional from having to enroll my first child in Kindergarten this week, and seeing that at some point I need to let go of her. I do hope, and pray to have the same crazy relationship with my daughter as we both age as I love the dynamic between Kathryn and her mom, Claire. Those are my hashtag mother/daughter goals. No, in between a lover's meeting, and hugging it out with mom, Gloria Herrmann takes us on a beautiful walk with Armel, as he 'collects souls.' As scary as that is to lose someone we love, I can only imagine how scared and lonely it will feel when we realize our time on Earth is up. I'm sure it's comforting to imagine that someone that used to be one of us, a man who knew life and death, love and grief; someone who has seen it all through the ages. To have a friend, and not an angel who can't imagine why we cling to life so much when there's so much more waiting for us on the other side.......why we have to bargain so loudly to hang onto all of this much life here.... no, it's easier and comforting for us to imagine a friend will be the one to help us go through this door into the afterlife. Thank you, Gloria, for taking me on a walk deep in the forest, and reminding me for a moment that life is simple - we live, we love, we die but we just complicate things because that's what we do. But in the end, it won't matter who we were in life, because we all have to go through The Pass Through. *** sidenote: this is most definitely not a Christian or a clean book, as there is sex in here. But I love the idea that there exists angels and spirits among us. Call it the Catholic in me and the belief in purgatory. Or my Filipino blood that had to read this only during the daytime, because we're a very superstitious bunch, and something about the supernatural gives me the heebee jeeves if read in the dark. Whatever you want to call it, I chose to read this story because I found the blurb intriguing and the idea of Armel, and his goodness, and his sacrifice is haunting; and his interactions with angels, only add more questions to what we don't know. This was a neat take on what we don't know about death, angels, souls, or what the Great Taker (Death), or the Creator (God) looks like. So if you want to read a lovely novel about all of this, pick up this book. If you are disheartened that I choose to read something that wasn't a Christian novel......I hope and pray that it takes more than a novel to sway your beliefs. This was a great read for me.*** About the AuthorGloria Herrmann is a romance author living in beautiful eastern Washington. She is an avid reader and lover of words, and becoming an author has been a dream come true for her. She still pinches herself all the time and wonders how she got so lucky. Her debut novel, Loving Liam, the first book in The Cloverleaf Series was released in October of 2015, and three more titles from that series were released by Limitless Publishing. Gloria wrote Single in Seattle, a three-book erotic contemporary series that will be released by Totally Bound in 2017. She has several self-published titles, including The Pass Through, which hit #1 in Native American Literature on Amazon. To find out more about her books and current projects, please visit the links below. www.facebook.com/AuthorGloriaHerrmann www.instagram.com/gloriaiswriting www.twitter.com/gloriaiswriting AMAZON amazon.com/author/gloriaherrmann GOODREADS www.goodreads.com/authorgloriaherrmann LIMITLESS PUBLISHING www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/gloria-herrmann TOTALLY BOUND PUBLISHING: www.totallybound.com/author/gloria-herrmann SYNOPSIS Some people can only dream of living out their fantasies. Cupcake shop owner Denie Shaw is the exception to the rule. This young, witty and charming woman seems to have a perfectly balanced life. Years of making bad relationship decisions had given Denie, owner of Icing, the opportunity not only to become a strong, successful business woman, but also managed to involve her three best friends in her crazy cupcake adventures. Denie’s sweet life gets turned upside down when she meets her crush, Tom Billingsly, right wing for the Cleveland Monsters hockey team. Together, Denie and Tom strike up a relationship that seems to have all the right ingredients. Will Denie allow the fear of heartache to guide her choice, or will she take the leap of faith and trust God to provide a solid recipe for her life? ReviewIsn’t it always the case when we decide to ‘swear off’ something, like dating, or men, or giving up sweets to try a new diet/fad that suddenly, that which we swore off, comes by, looks up at us with its hopeful eyes, and we fall head over heels before we remember we swore off said thing, and the reason why we did it in the first place?? As was the case for Denie. She decided, after her last relationship completely drained her, that she was done. She didn’t want to fall in love and have her heart shattered all over again. Unless he was her “dream crush wearing a number 29 on the back of his hockey jersey.” And lo and behold, there he was, just as excited about the prospect of being with her. This was such a cute little story! I love Debra Sue Brice’s writing. She wrote out Denie’s internal monologues of fear, of love, of brokenness and conviction that I was rooting for Denie’s happy ending. She was real to me. And I wanted her goodness recognized, and her happiness realized. In fact, I almost wanted to maim a certain hockey player but goodness, you’re just going to have to read through this one to understand the level of anxiety I had! I have met very few people that matched Denie’s goodness and love for her friends and family, and her amazing faith in Christ. That’s the thing when we try to move forward knowing that pain is inevitable but it’s the love that Christ has for us that we know we are also equipped with support, and strength that we didn’t realize we had. Very few of us understand the gravity of Grace. This is a beautiful and simple story about a girl and a guy in a chance meeting and falling in love. It’s a story about a girl finding peace in God’s grace. It’s about a guy who finds God and what his newfound faith could become. And to top off the fact that this story has cupcakes?? Which are a favorite of mine, fyi. Well, that’s just the Icing on this sweet romance. About the Author:Debra Sue Brice is a first grade teacher, avid baker, fanatic Cleveland Monster hockey fan, and successful equestrian. She was born and raised in Ohio and author of several novels including, Crossing Boarders and Icing. You can find her at her website: http://www.debrasuebrice.com/ Facebook: @DebraSueBrice Twitter: @DebraSueBrice This is going to be one of those "too much information" thing but I feel like I need to say it in order for you, the future reader, to understand why this particular reader found this book wonderful. Of course, set in parts of Canada that I will never visit, and part of New York that I can only dream of, this book, along with the 'will they/won't they' story line, this story is already wonderful. I love the humor, the wit, the charm of both Langston and Cecile. I could feel the energy emanating from the pages when they first met. The thing that I will always gravitate to are stories with faith in its pages, and people that we may never relate to but they have the same testimonies and fears as us. I lost my virginity at 23 with my now husband. But this was three years before we got married. I know, TMI, right?? The thing is, I still remember vividly going home, crying over my Bible, and absolutely convinced that I'm going to hell. My roommate thought I was silly, and thankfully, I'm married to my 'one and only.' But that day feels like a blot in my entire existence. During my low anxiety filled moments, I often look back and think this is my punishment for premarital sin. There are very few books that I've come across that I think, "aha, that's me!" I'm not a huntress. I'm not a seducer. I'm not even that nerdy for some hot guy to stumble into me. But aside from the immense musical talent, of which I do not possess one iota of, I saw myself in Cecile. (Also, I'm a total sloucher, and beauty is subjective no matter who you are, but this is less about physicality and more about people's motives, and personality). I could see the cracks in her Type A personality. I can remember the need to please God, but then remembering the pleasures of sex, and forgetting God just for a little bit. I still remember accepting that my life, as it is, isn't a punishment from God. I loved peering into Cecile's diary. I could see her naive faith grow and transform throughout the book. I appreciate that Maria Corley took anxiety and guilt, and weave them in so slowly throughout the book. Society often depicts anxious depressed people in dark rooms, and clad in black. But, people with high functioning anxiety are always misunderstood as people pleasers, perfectionists, strong, emotionless, OCD...I could go on and on...... Ms. Corley, thank you, for this well written novel seemingly about two people doomed to be in the "star cross lovers" category. It was more than I thought it was. It was more than love. More than a book about faith, and music, and family. More than witnessing a broken soul.......it was about taking hold of all that we are: our faults, our sins, in being loved by God no matter what, and our anxieties, and trusting in our self, our place in the Universe,........and Letting go. Take a bow, honey. This was a lovely read. *I received this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts, and opinions are my own. Synopsis |
Book Pick:I use Goodread's rating scale1 star – didn’t like it
2 stars – it was OK 3 stars – liked it 4 stars – really liked it 5 stars – it was so amazing, it's on my reread pile! Categories
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