Never Say Never by C. Marie Mosley
Publication date: December 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
All he wanted was a distraction…
All she wanted was to conquer him…
Instead, they both got a reason to change their minds…
Forever was never an option…
… Never Say Never.
Never Say Never follows two friends, Kasey and Jonah, that have known each other just short of forever. In a single moment, they decide to take their friendship to a different level…with no strings attached. Neither of them intended for things to go so far. Kasey and Jonah fall, fight, and re-fall for each other in only ways that the two of them can. Knowing each other’s past can be a double-edged sword. But in Harden Fields, there are always skeletons left hanging in the closet…they just don’t hang around for long.
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Excerpt
The indistinctly, barely warm end of summer air around us was a telltale sign that fall was well on its way. but the sweltering heat had all but completely vanished. I could still feel the faintness of heat lingering on [her] skin from the sun’s rays.
Her beautiful, delicious, flawless tanned skin. The two of us lay tangled in each other’s arms in the barn loft at my grandparent’s horse farm and Harden Fields. This has quickly become my favorite place to get lost with her.
The fragrance sent a vanilla and jasmine surrounded me, as I continued to trail kisses down her neck. I loved to feel the softness of herur skin beneath my lips. The warmth of her body and the way her eyes looked into mine made me want to hold onto her, keeping her with me forever.
C. Marie grew up in a small town outside of Birmingham, Alabama. When she’s not making up her own stories, she’s extremely busy getting lost in someone else’s. C. Marie enjoys penning stories in new adult and young adult contemporary romance. She also has a young adult fantasy fiction series, entitled Empyreal.
Writing is her passion, but she enjoys other things, too. She is an avid-reader, and she loves to dance & practically lives through music. She loves to make people laugh, and is extremely creative in every genre. But most of all, she loves to spend time with her wonderful family. She currently lives in Alabama with her amazing family, and continues to create imaginary worlds for all to enjoy.
You can contact C. Marie through email at cmmosleybooks@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @CMarieMosley, and visit her author page on Facebook. Other social media networks where you can find her include Pinterest, Tumblr, & Google+.
Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Left Drowning by Jessica Park!
Left Drowning by Jessica Park
Series: Left Drowning #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 16th 2013
What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?
Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.
*This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content, and is recommended for Ages 17+
I’ve just finished reading Left Drowning, and I… I can’t even form coherent thoughts right now! What. a. book! It was a thrill to read Left Drowning. It was beautiful, heart-wrenching, gutting, and every other feelsword that exists. Because truly, you feel everything as you’re reading this book. As soon as I read the first page, I was hooked. And I couldn’t put the book down–I finished in a freaking day!
Bless this book. Left Drowning is beyond words! It’s gorgeously written, and its got the best, snarkiest heroine ever. And I love snarky heroines. They make everything better, more fun, and more hilarious. Blythe (which is such a pretty name!) is a senior at Matthews College, and she is not a happy person at the beginning of the book. At first, I thought, Oh god, it’s another broken heroine with a tragic past, but then as I kept reading, Left Drowning gets to be so much more than that. It becomes a story of family and love and healing and acceptance. And I truly loved reading this beautiful, captivating story.
“What’s a little risk now and then, huh?” … “It makes you feel alive. It brings you crashing into the here and now. Keeps you alert and grounded.”
Blythe has no social life, and nor does she want one. She’s been stuck in depression for years after her parents died, and the only family member she has is a little brother who resents her. She can’t get out of this never-ending cycle of drinking and feeling like crap in the morning, until she meets one of the Shepherd siblings, Sabin. He’s hilarious, sweet, obnoxious, and goofy, the perfect counterpart to Blythe’s dark, depressing humor. And with the lovable Sabin comes his three other siblings: Christopher, and the twins Estelle and Eric.
When Blythe meets Chris, they have this visceral connection with each other. It could be lust, which is definitely there, or it could be something deeper, but Blythe knows that it’s real and it’s there. But Blythe and Chris don’t act on their lust, and instead, become friends. Jessica Park does an incredible job writing this all-encompassing, heartfelt friendship Chris and Blythe form. They grow to lean on each other, when neither of them has ever relied on another person, and they love each other… but only as friends. Right?
Well, yeah there’s that awesome, tingling sexual tension between the two, but the friendship is where they start. And Blythe becomes friends with all the Shepherd siblings, becoming part of their family. I absolutely adored the Shepherd family dynamic. They all love each other so, so much, and they’d do anything for each other. And they are so freaking hilarious! I don’t know how many times I laughed, mostly because of Sabin, but it was a lot.
The romance in Left Drowning is just as important as the family and love the Shepherds and Blythe have for each other, which I love. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean the romance is any less. Chris is so, so incredible and sweet. He’s the perfect guy, except for the fact that Blythe knows that he has a past that scarred him. But still, as Chris and Blythe spend more time together, they can’t not be together, and when they do–wow, it’s explosive.
“Stop looking at me. It’s annoying.”
“I can’t.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Chris takes an eternity to respond. “I can’t stop thinking about you, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
Eep, Chris makes me swoon so hard!
But Chris and Blythe both have their own problems they haven’t faced yet, pasts that continue to haunt them everyday. And because of this, they can’t form a relationship. They know that it’ll be a dysfunctional one, and they remain friends, or at least try to. And here is where the heartbreak begins. AH! My heart was hurting so much for Blythe and Chris, because they belong together! They fit each other so well, and Blythe has such a wonderful relationship with the entire family. But as truths come out, things also start taking a more devastating, darker tone. Because Chris’s past is so incredibly painful and heart-wrenching, and my heart went out to him.
Left Drowning will make you feel sad, depressed, and horrified. But it also will make you laugh and giggle and smile. So read this book. It will leave you gutted, in the best way possible. If you want a book that makes you feel, Left Drowning is perfect. And can I just say, it’s got one of the best endings I’ve ever read. I loved everything about this book!
And, the quote that I think perfectly embodies this beautiful book:
“This is all sorts of fucked up.”
“I know, baby. I know. But the best kind of fucked up.”
Jessica is the author of New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE, RELATIVELY FAMOUS, and the NA novel, LEFT DROWNING. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.
We are excited to share the cover for Lauren Blakely’s EVERY SECOND WITH YOU, Book 2 in her No Regrets Series! Keep reading to check out some fun facts about EVERY SECOND WITH YOU and don’t forget to pick up her prequel novella THE START OF US, for free!!!
Every Second With You by Lauren Blakely
Series: No Regrets #2
Release Date: February 17, 2014
3 Fun Facts about EVERY SECOND WITH YOU.
1. The story starts exactly 30 minutes after THE THRILL OF IT ends.
2. There will be grilled cheese sandwiches and cherry blossoms in the story.
3. You will see many of the supporting characters from THE THRILL OF IT and also meet new ones.
Every Second With You = Sex. Love. Addiction. Heartache. Pain. And Hope.
In the sequel to the bestselling THE THRILL OF IT, Harley and Trey face new challenges that will make battling blackmail, sex addiction, and a virgin call girl past look easy…
I used to think love was a lie. Now I know it’s real, powerful, and I don’t want to lose it…But my future scares me, and there’s no way this can be happening, especially since I’ve finally broken free from all the people who wanted pieces of me. I don’t even know how to start over, but I have to find a way. So when I discover what my mother’s been keeping from me, it doesn’t make me hate her. It gives me hope for a new life, outside of New York. But the ties that bind me to this city are so strong, sometimes they are chains. If only I could leave with…
Trey…
I will do anything for her. She owns me, heart, mind and body. But when Harley tells me this, I am rocked to the core, and terrified of what happens next. Especially when this time it’s not her past that chases me, it’s someone from my own. And that someone is messing with my head when I’m trying to be strong for Harley. But all I really want is to escape with the girl I love…For the rest of our lives.
How can you move forward when the past keeps chasing you?
Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.
The novellas written by the 12 NA’s of Christmas will be on sale beginning December 1st! From December 1st-11th, each day one of the novellas will be highlighted around the book community. Today, the novella spotlight is Christmas Catch by Chelsea M. Cameron. Check out the excerpt and enter the giveaway!
You can buy any of the 12 NA’s of Christmas titles on Amazon.
Laney Sawyer used to believe in love and all of the trappings that happily ever after could provide until Ryder Capwell crushed her heart. When Laney is auctioned off as a prize at the drama department fundraiser the last person she expects to trade cold hard cash for her company is Ryder.
Ryder Capwell is in love with Laney Sawyer. One year ago she walked out of his life and took the light of his world right along with her. Ryder would do anything to have another chance with Laney, including purchasing her for the evening courtesy of Whitney Briggs University, and he does just that.
One thing leads to whiskey, which leads to a one-night stand. She thinks it’s revenge sex—he thinks its make up sex. Things can only go wrong from here.
You can buy this book or any of the 12 NA’s of Christmas titles on Amazon.
Excerpt
“Capwell”—he gives the ghost of a smile—“Ryder, Capwell,” he rumbles in his deepest octave and my stomach pinches tight. “I’ve always wanted to say that.” He smolders into me without even trying, and good God almighty I’m way past the point of being seduced. It’s obvious this night is going to end with a bang, and now I feel like an idiot for putting myself within shooting, or rather bedding range. Face it. Those cobalt blue eyes of his cast a spell over me, and now, I’m voluntarily striding into his penthouse just hoping for some perversion.
He comes in close, and I’m terrified he’s going to kiss me and we’ll be tearing off one another’s clothes before I even get to berate myself properly for letting my vagina follow his happy trail right to his promiscuous penthouse.
Addison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she’s not writing, she’s reading.
The 12 NA’s of Christmasauthors are Marquita Valentine, Zoe Dawson, Chelsea M. Cameron, Tiffany King, Breena Wilde, Sawyer Bennett, Magan Vernon, Sarra Cannon, A. Meredith Walters, Shelly Crane, and Addison Moore.
Two years after walking out of Jack’s wedding, Lexi has finally put her past behind her. She has made up her mind about where her life is headed. This time, she is sticking to her guns, no matter what.
That is, until a phone call shatters the fragile grasp she has on her new life. Lexi is forced to question everything she thought she knew about what she wanted, and life-changing events push her to reevaluate the very plans she holds so dear. Nevertheless, Lexi has to choose her true path. That might just mean deciding, once and for all, that she doesn’t have to answer to anyone but herself.
In this highly anticipated final installment of the bestselling Avoiding series, follow Lexi as she juggles a new career, a new city, and the burgeoning affections of three very different men.
“Into the park,” he demanded, pointing at the entrance.
“Nope. We should go home now.”
He smiled, clearly contemplating her suggestion. Then, as she began to drag him back to their cars, he hoisted her up into his arms and carried her into the park himself.
“Oh my God! What are you doing?” she squealed as he walked forward.
He held her gingerly in his arms as if she weighed nothing.
“I can walk! I can walk!”
“Are you going to behave?” he asked, smirking down at her face.
“Not if you keep carrying me!”
“Then, why would I put you down?”
She threw her head back, exasperated, and he just laughed at her.
“All right, all right. I’ll put you down.” He placed her lightly on her feet.
“Thank you,” she said, steadying herself against him in her high heels. “Can we try to act like civilized adults now?”
“What’s the fun in that?”
“You have a point.”
As they walked farther into the park, the trees began to cluster together, and the city lights gradually disappeared. The characteristic speeding of cars on the interstate and honking of horns in traffic through the commuter city faded away to a dull hum, and they were left with each other. The winding path they had selected was even farther off the beaten track, and Lexi actually noticed that some stars were overhead. The stars had come out for them tonight, like the stars had known they were going to take this moonlit stroll through the city.
The weight of his hand was peaceful against hers, and the sound of each other’s breathing kept a slow, easy rhythm about their movements—so much so, that she hardly realized just how dark it was where they were. They had walked so deep into the woods that even the lights in the park were missing or had been extinguished.
“Hey,” she whispered, not even sure why she was being so quiet. “It’s really dark out here. Don’t you think we should go back?”
“Yeah, probably,” he agreed, stopping and staring down at her. “Let’s just go a little farther, and if we don’t find the other side, we’ll circle back.”
Lexi nodded.
After another minute of walking on the darkened path, they followed a bend in the trail, and suddenly, light illuminated the path before them.
“Oh, good,” she murmured, breathing a sigh of relief. “We made it.”
He smiled back at her. “We did.”
Lexi looked into his face and saw a glint of something she hadn’t recognized before. Had she not been looking? He appeared absolutely ecstatic. She hadn’t even realized how happy he was and that such a small walk with her could brighten his mood.
Walking forward along the path, Lexi noticed it narrowed as they ventured toward the light. Her eyes widened as everything came into focus.
No wonder he was grinning like an idiot.
White candles of all different shapes and sizes flickered along the path. Hundreds of them illuminated their way, and she noticed, where she hadn’t before, the streetlights were all still in place but had been shut off to allow the red-and-orange flames to be the only source of light. He had turned off the world in Piedmont Park to give Lexi one of her own.
She stared forward, perplexed and in awe at what was materializing, as she followed him down the pathway. The candles opened up to a small clearing where a giant blanket was laid out with a picnic basket and a dozen long-stemmed red roses in a clear vase.
“What is this?” she whispered, facing him once more.
K.A. Linde graduated with her Masters in political science from the University of Georgia in 2012. She also has a bachelors in political science and philosophy. She wrote her the Avoiding Series while struggling through advanced statistical modeling and writing her thesis. She enjoys dancing and writing novels that keep you guessing until the very end.
She currently resides in Georgia with her boyfriend and two puppies, Lucy and Riker.
C. Marie grew up in a small town outside of Birmingham, Alabama. When she’s not making up her own stories, she’s extremely busy getting lost in someone else’s. C. Marie enjoys penning stories in new adult and young adult contemporary romance. She also has a young adult fantasy fiction series, entitled Empyreal.
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