Blog Tour: Review: Blurred Lines (Out of Time #5) **GIVEAWAY**

Blog Tour: Review: Blurred Lines (Out of Time #5) by Jen McLaughlin **GIVEAWAY**

Impulsive and worth it!

Click To See On Goodreads

Once burned…
Finding my fiancée naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Twice shy…
I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･
★★★★★
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Out of Line series by Jen McLaughlin that follows Riley and Noelle and their outlandish but passionate first encounter that leads to so much more.

I have to admit that I really like this one  way better than Fractured Lines because the situation went along the lines of a second chance romance and love at first sight kind of love story which really brought out a lot of the author's natural talent and skilled writing style, whereas Finn and Callie's relationship at that point(Fractured Lines), which was already there and established that it was more of a finding yourself and self-help kind of love story. 

Things really got hot and heavy super quick, me like it A LOT!!

Noelle is definitely the woman I want to become: Romance writer
Riley is definitely the guy I'd like to....*wink* Have and to hold, you nasty hahaShe is the beautiful, kind, funny, mischievious, smart, and selfless kind of female character that basicaly plays the role of a widow. He is the sexy, rich, loyal, well-mannered, and sensible male character that plays the role of a victim of cheating.

They threw care to the wind and went wild and free. A one-night stand and a few days later, you will hear the church bells ringing. No, this doesn't take place in Vegas.

In the end, well, for Riley and Noelle, things were just beginning...

Overall, I had such a wonderful reading experience watching everything fall into place. I swear, this story was simply perfect! I consider this a new favorite and a highly recommended read. I wonder if there will be a story for Emily and the Scot ye ken...*fingers crosed*

Win a Kindle Paperwhite and the first 3 books in the OUT OF LINE series!.

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About the Author:

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. 

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Connect with Jen

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Buy Links

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Blog Tour: Review: P.O.W.ER + Excerpt

Blog Tour: Review: P.O.W.ER by Lisa A. Kramer + Excerpt

Such empowering content!

What would happen if women and girls joined their unique abilities together to
change the world? In a world where access to the written word is reserved to
men, Andra BetScrivener has been able to read and write ever since she was a
little girl without anyone teaching her. She must keep her abilities a secret in
the country of New North, or she could lose her hands, her eyes or her life. In
fact, the only paths offered to her–and all young women–are to either marry or
enter the government-run Women’s Training Program, where she’ll be taught
“feminine” arts like drawing, painting, and homemaking.
On her seventeenth birthday, Andra discovers that her abilities extend beyond
reading. She can write events to life. As she begins to explore her new ability,
she must take care not to jeopardize her father’s job as head scrivener at
the Ministry. Despite her efforts to keep her powers hidden, she comes to the
attention of both the government and a rebel group, who each desire to use
Andra for their own goals. At the same time, she begins to meet other gifted
women who have never dared use their unique powers. With the help of her
friends Brian and Lauren—who has the ability to read minds—Andra must find a
way to unite the power of women to create change.
When one side manipulates Andra’s words into killing someone, and the other
threatens her father’s life and her own freedom, Andra decides to use her
writing to empower others to stop governmental oppression. But in a society
ruled by lies, cruelty, and inequality her journey will not be easy or safe.
Her latest book is the YA speculative/feminist fiction, P.O.W.ER.

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･ 

★★★★★

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You've got the oppression, the sexist vibe, the feminist counteract, and the those in favor of equality.

This held so much controversial stuff, It was like having your favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But your pig-headed older brother eat your portion, therefore leaving you hungry. Well, that's exactly how I felt. Hungry, For what? For some change. For the bad to end in good. Not to have corrupt ministers use religion to justify the means. To just put every bad thing done under the rug, because nobody likes to air out their dirty laundry. That shit stank.

This was not just a piece of fiction, this held meaning, there was a cause. This had a bunch of everything, so this cannot be solely a book of feminism. The end game was equality, although it needed a feminist movement in order to get as far away as possible from the sexist, backward society the people lived in.

Young Andra BetScrivener just turned seventeen. And in this society, where men held all power and knowledge and the women were forbidden to read and write, she has finally entered womanhood. Thus, allowing her to began finding a husband. Go figure. There are many things that happen once she discovers her own unique power, so pay very close attention because things get very interesting.

Andra and her pacifist-like morals were so sweet and naive, but her sense of knowledge and reading and writing was very impressive, considering she learned but was never taught. At times I thought of here as a young pre-teen, or someone sheltered from the reality of life with the way she acts. Especially when she was around her father and Brian, it would show a flip side of her as well.

In the end, things were very nicely polished and didn't leave any thing out. I would've died if there was a cliff hanger.

Overall, this read was extremely riveting, and I highly recommend this to both men and women. This was seriously some good stuff.

Excerpt:

My stomach dropped as soon as Dad entered the kitchen scowling at a
thick card embossed with the government seal. My hand started to shake so
much that I had to put down my mug of tea. I knew this day was coming. After
all, it was my seventeenth birthday, the first day of the last year of my life.

“That’s the letter, isn’t it?” 

Dad looked at me with one of his half smiles, the one that never
reached his eyes. I hadn’t seen him smile with genuine happiness for years, not
since Mother died. This smile made no effort to cover the sadness and defeat
in his face. “Pour me some cocoa, please.” He lowered himself into his
customary chair next to me, “I’ll do my civic duty and read this to you.” 

“I could always read it myself,” I said. I waited for him to respond the
way he always did. I hoped that provoking him a little would reawaken the Dad
who let me believe I could do anything, while still protecting me from the
cruelty of our society. That Dad had disappeared over recent years. 

“Andra!” he said, “You know I don’t like you to say that out loud. You
never know if someone might be listening. If I could let you read everywhere, I
would. We can’t let your secret get out.” 

“I’m sorry.” I handed Dad his cocoa and watched as he took several sips.  

For a moment he closed his eyes and his face relaxed. The secret to giving him
those brief moments was in the cocoa. I make it just like Mother used to. She
left us too soon to teach me all her cooking secrets, but she taught me a few.  

She was a woman who turned everything she touched into something beautiful,
warm and comforting. She could make people calm even in the most terrifying
circumstances. Mother and Dad both made me believe that my future wasn’t
set in the same stone used to build the giant walls that separated New North
from the outside world. Mother believed that somehow they would find a way
to return to some of the freedoms of the past and make a better future for all
women. She never got the chance to do that. She died and Dad grew afraid. 

“Ah, perfect as always. Now, to do my duty.” Dad put his mug down and
brought my attention back to the thick card, or the envelope of doom, as I
thought of it. The government seal—the Eye of the Lord—gleamed with a hint
of gold ink as it caught the light from the sun shining through the window. It
sent a shiver down my spine, as if the eye was really watching me.

About the Author:

Lisa A. Kramer has spent her life learning, creating, and exploring the world through theatre, writing, traveling and collaborating as an educator. She has lived in nine states and two countries (including Japan). She holds a PhD in Theatre for Youth, an MFA in Theatre Directing, and a BA in English Language & Literature and Theatre. She has published non-fiction articles in journals specializing on Theatre for Young Audiences, as well articles aimed at young people for Listen Magazine. In addition to young adult novels, she has ventured into the world of short stories, and has stories for adults in several of the Theme-Thology series published by HDWPBooks.com and available on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo. When not writing, Lisa shares her love of the arts and the power of story as co-founder of heArtful Theatre Company and as adjunct faculty at various colleges and universities. She also spends time enjoying New England with her husband, daughter, and two dogs from her home base in
central Massachusetts.

Connect with Lisa

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Buy Links

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Blog Tour: Review: I, James **GIVEAWAY** + Excerpt

Blog Tour:  Review: I, James by Mike Hartner **GIVEAWAY** + Excerpt

What an ADVENTURE!

James Crofter was ripped from his family at age 11. Within a year the prince was a pauper in a foreign land. Is nature stronger than nurture? And even if it is, can James find the happiness he so richly desires?

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･ 

Excerpt:

It required two days of marching to get to what I’d learned was a plantation, which was in the middle of nowhere.  When we finally arrived at our destination, I considered how memorable my last 16 months had been since I was removed from a prince’s life.  Yes, they were memorable.  And even though I had a pouch full of coin hidden inside my drawers, I was now a slave on a plantation in Africa.

 ★★★★

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just loved every bit of this story. It is very easy to read, the writing had a nice and sooth flow of events. However, there was an abundant amount of grammatical errors, although, it did not take away the comprehension of an entire sentence all together.

Regardless of whether or not it was poorly edited of just a bunch of typos, the story was quite alluring and just as much as the main characters' charm, charisma, courage and bravery throughout the whole book.

Usually it takes a reader to get attached after the first chapter or so. It only took me just reading the prologue because I was definitely a goner. And by the end of the first chapter I wanted to start balling.

I adore James' heart, he was so compassionate, and strong-willed. I wish I had Rosalind's cooking skills.

The romantic affair between James and Rosalind was very obvious and totally inevitable from the very beginning. Once they finally meet at that certain point of their lives, it was very odd. Indifferent is not the best choice of word, but that's all I got at the moment. I think surreal is more like it. Because the main character was able to make connections as though he already knew both stories. That's just me. And I guess Felipe too.

I really found the money and currency aspect of the story extremely intriguing. I felt so wrapped up in learning what the James thought and  completely enamored with how he was able to present the ideas and theories.

There was so much going on, the blood, the sweat, and tears were so raw. The. Struggle. Is. Real.

Overall, I enjoyed this read so very much and appreciated the refreshing vibe the story just seemed to give off.

GIVEAWAY

Mike Hartner is giving away one $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter.This giveaway begins November 3 and ends January 30.Winner will be contacted via email on Monday, February 2.Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

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About the Author:

Mike Hartner was born in Miami in 1965. He's traveled much of the continental United States. He has several years post secondary education, and experience teaching and tutoring young adults. Hartner has owned and run a computer firm for more than twenty-five years. He now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and child. They share the neighborhood and their son with his maternal grandparents.

Mike won first place blue ribbon for the 2013 Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction and first place blue ribbon for the 2013 Dante Rosetti Award in the YA category for I, Walter.

His latest book is the historical fiction/romance, I, James.

Connect with Mike

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Blog Tour: Review: Anyone?

Blog Tour: Review: Anyone? by Angela Scott

Jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, nerve-wrecking, mind-boggling greatness!!!

Young Adult, Apocalyptic, Survival, Horror

The end of the world? That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….

…Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.

Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. 

Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.

Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.

But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･ 

 ★★★★★

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, where to start...

BAM! Apocalyptic hysteria: end of the word as we know it. Chaos in all directions and seems to last forever, until its eerily, deathly quiet. What to do now?..

This story was such an adrenaline rush, I don't know how I made it to the end without my heart leaping out of my mouth. 

The characters were such a blast, very emotional and I felt extremely sensitive to everything they had to endure. Yes, even the cat with nine lives. At times, I wished Tess just not worry about the cat, just worry about surviving herself, but there were times when the cat did prove beneficial and useful. Remember, animals have that extra sense when something isn't right. Tess was so fortunate, lucky, whatever you want to call it. Oh, and I envy her. Cole was, literally, not real. I could not wrap my mind around the way he made a living in the post-apocalyptic destruction. Everything was like so surreal, but still could have been written off as being very lucky, very smart, a quick thinker, an awesome survivor. Argh, I really freakin' loved his character. It went really well against Tess's very different characteristics. They ballanced each other out. He basically kept her alive and from going mad. She got him to fall for her. I really, really miss David, his character wasn't around for long, but like Tess, he made a huge impact.

This is the only book I ever read with less then five characters. And the only one with this theme setting. I absolutely loved this story and enjoyed every bit of it to no end. Everything was just perfect. This was my first book by Scott and hope this won't be the last. Having the opportunity to have this reading experience is seriously out of this world. I thought I could never read anything greater, better, just something with that type of flare or that spark. It's hard to describe but easy to recognize. Again, with having this book being the first, the first book of the year to really make an impact on me, as a reader, a person. It was scary, but thrilling all the same.

The only thing I regret is reading the end pretty quick. But came you blame me? I was already at the point of no return, like having downed 10 shots in one go, or 10 cups of coffee. I was jittery and anxious, and biting my lips and nails, almost resorting to anything I could get my teeth on. Yeah, not a pretty sight.

Overall, as you can already tell, I LOVE this book. Yeah, simple as that. Oh, and I highly recommend this.

About the Author:

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author.

For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

Connect with Angela

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Blog Tour: Review: Withering Hope **GIVEAWAY**

Blog Tour: Review: Withering Hope by Layla Hagen **GIVEAWAY**

Get ready for the waterworks, this tear-jerker is just absolutely beautiful!

Click To See On Goodreads

*This will be a STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.* 

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect. 

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. 

With no way to reach civilisation, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts. 

As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest.  

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･

★★★★★

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"A ten, a ten! A f*cking ten!"
-Varsity Blues

This story was just something I did not expect. I didn't read the blurb until I got the ARC, I only wanted to read this because of its gorgeous cover, and my assumption of the title. When I read the title 'Withering Hope' for some reason, I thought about Wuthering Heights. I know, weird.

The story is about Aimee flying to Brazil to arrive early for her wedding to her childhood friend. But she doesn't make it... Crash-landed in the middle of the Amazon forest, Tristan will do whatever it takes to survive, and that includes Aimee surviving as well. From poison to menacing beasts occupying the forest alongside them, they both work together to take it one day at a time. Little do they know, love is also out there lurking and waiting for the right moment to make itself present.

The beginning of the story was pretty fast. One minute, things are one way, the next everything is other. Although it's not as disorienting as it sounds when reading, it is for the characters.
Character development was on point. At the mention of snakes, I wanted to just jump out of my skin. I would not last one day out in the wild, forget about 3 months. I'd rather have died when the plane crash made impact. Aimee was so awesome, such a good sport. She was useful when needing to look for food, making makeshift baskets, brave. Argh, just thinking about her makes me want to cry. She was just a well-rounded female character. Tristan on the other hand, mmmm-mmmm-mmmm! He had his RAMBO moments, sweet he's-my-hero moments, too many bastard-don't-die-on-me moments, not enough love-me-long-time moments, just thinking about him makes want to ball my eyes out, and hold him and never let go. He was the whole package deal.

In the end, everything played out so well I can't think of the story ending any other way.

Overall, I fell in awe of the intense, dramatic, romantic effects the author brought to the table and I would recommend this to those looking for something with a plot and romance to enhance the experience.

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About the Author:

Welcome! My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author. 

I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough ;)

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Blog Tour: Review: The One Thing (Hollywood Timelines #2) **GIVEAWAY** + Excerpt

Blog Tour: Review: The One Thing by Briana Gaitan (Hollywood Timelines #2) **GIVEAWAY** + Excerpt

Oh my! Such deliciousness!!!

Click To See On Goodreads

When everything falls apart, he's the one thing that holds me together.

Ginger Teague may seem like your typical Hollywood actress with the famous boyfriend, designer clothes, money, and hit TV show, but constantly being in the public eye has its downside. 

People seem more interested in her chaotic relationship with her on again/ off again boyfriend than her acting career,and Ginger isn't dealing with her new found fame in a way she always envisioned. She masks her unhappiness with too many parties and an unhealthy habit of binge drinking. As much as she wants love, men find her as a pretty amusement, not the type of girl you take home to mom and dad. 

When she meets Caspian Norwood, they quickly begin a regimen of flirty emails.
He's a struggling musician that doesn't quite fit her idea of the perfect boyfriend.
He's older, mysterious, cultured, knows exactly what to say and do in all the right situations, and Ginger can't help falling for him. But the world is against them, pushing them apart, and it's beginning to feel as if they're only meant to be friends.

The One Thing is a standalone novel and book two in the Hollywood Timelines series. You met Ginger in The Last Thing, now hear her love story. 

He's a struggling musician that doesn't quite fit her idea of the perfect boyfriend.He's older, mysterious, cultured, knows exactly what to say and do in all the right situations, and Ginger can't help falling for him. But the world is against them, pushing them apart, and it's beginning to feel as if they're only meant to be friends. 

The One Thing is a standalone novel and book two in the Hollywood Timelines series. You met Ginger in The Last Thing, now hear her love story. 

(Intended for ages 18 and up)

Join the Facebook release party for TAKEOVERS, PRIZES, AND FUN!

:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･｡,★゜･:*:･

Excerpt:

I realize I’m scowling at him, and staring at his teeth like a gawking monkey. I’m tempted to smile, but refuse to. Attraction or no attraction, I’m not about to let him know how affected I am by his presence. 

“I’m fine, thanks for asking. You can go back to…whatever it is you were doing.” I wave my hand as if he’s a minion out to do my bidding. 

He laughs, but doesn’t take the hint. “I’m just taking a smoke break between sets. 

We’re doing a sound check for a show tonight. Hey, you should come check us out.” He motions toward the building beside us, an ancient looking place. Great, he’s a musician. They’re even worse than actors. I raise an uninterested slim brow at him, but don’t say a word. 

“Doesn’t like music, duly noted.” He laughs again. It’s so intoxicating. He articulates all of his syllables, but I can’t pinpoint the accent. His voice isn’t suave or deep, he definitely sings with a wide range, kind of like Ben Gibbard. That’s right; I like music. In fact, I love music and Death Cab for Cutie is one of my favorite bands. I just don’t like the reputation that precedes musicians. I open my mouth to protest, but stop. I don’t need to explain myself to this guy. 

“Thanks for the neighborly concern.” I roll my eyes and wait for him to go back inside, but instead we both anxiously stand there daring the other to walk away first. With a crooked grin plastered upon his devilishly handsome face, he digs into his back pocket to pull out another cigarette. He lights up, but blows the smoke away from me. My nostrils flare, and I have to keep from kneeing him in the balls.  

How dare he trap me in a corner while he puffs on those death sticks. Such a disgusting habit, if you ask me. After a minute, I give up, push myself off from the wall, and turn my back to him. 

“Have a good one!” he calls out from behind me. “Fuck you,” I mumble to myself as I strut away. I throw my purse over my shoulder and curse myself when a smile appears on my lips. He is an interesting character. It’s not every day I get to meet someone who isn’t a stuck up social climber.  

 My feet scream in agony with each step, but I refuse to turn around. Well, that is until I make it about two blocks down the road. Only then do I allow myself to stop and peek over my shoulder. He’s still standing in the same spot on the sidewalk. His eyes are locked on me, I think. From far away, his hair appears darker, making him seem more mysterious. When he raises his hand to wave, I quickly turn around. My pale skin heats in excitement. I haven’t been this worked up over a man in a long time, not since I first began dating Barrett. I should feel bad for getting so turned on by another guy when I just broke up with my fiancé, but I’m not. Barrett screwed it up. Ergo, I don’t care. 

 The crosswalk flashes green for me to go, but before I step across the street, I take one last look behind me. Disappointment fills me as I gaze at the empty sidewalk. 

He must have gone inside. Nashville is a big city, and I’m only visiting for a few more days before I return to LA. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever see him again. I lean back against a brick wall to catch my breath and regain my composure. I slide down against the brick until my I can lean my face into my knees and take a few deep breaths.“What’s a pretty young thing like you doing wandering the streets all alone?” a voice says from beside me. Looking up, I blink against the bright sun to try and find the source. I stand up.“Over here.”I follow the sound of the voice and spin around to see a lanky guy, a little older than me, sitting on the stoop of an old brick auditorium. My eyes graze his shaggy, dirty blond hair that falls in his eyes and his strong, square jaw. When he smiles, there’s a cute dimple in his left cheek. His eyes are kind, clear blue engulfed with dark lashes. My eyes move downward against his lean chest and tight skinny jeans. As if on instinct, I flashed him a flirty grin. Man, this guy is beautiful…in a grungy skateboarder kinda way. “Just taking a leisurely stroll,” I comment. I examine the cigarette in his hand and wrinkle my nose a bit. He notices my displeasure and smashes the butt under his old converse. Converse? No, no, no. I talk myself down. He takes a swig of water from a plastic bottle and sets it down on the ground. This guy isn’t cute, he’s shabby. He’s an emo. He’s—and I’m—he isn’t my style at all. Oh, gross. How could I have stooped so low as to even for the briefest moment consider him attractive? I tend to go for more classic, metro-sexual men. Armani suits, expensive cars, slicked back hair and Rolex watches. That’s what turns me on; not smokers with tattoos. Though from what I can see of his, they look quite impressive. A flash of something large on his right bicep, but I can’t make it out. Not wanting to get caught staring, I look up at the bright sky instead. The urge to walk away consumes me, but I need another moment to catch my breath and rest my aching feet. He stands up and walks closer, making my heart pound against my chest. Oh, shit. I stare straight ahead at his old gray tee shirt and black jeans that hug his body. He stops right in front of me and rests an arm on the wall behind me to support himself. 

“You look really lost. Need some help?”  

God, that sexy voice. Heat begins to pool between my legs. No, this isn’t a safe position. He’s a stranger! I straighten up and look into his face, that beautiful face.  

Focus, Ginger! 

“I’m not lost. Would you kindly back off?” I snap.  

Men don’t randomly offer to help women. They always have ulterior motives. 

They always expect something in return. He backs up with his hands out in front of him in surrender. His face is sincere, honest. Like I even know what that looks like. 

“Hey, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m only trying to offer you some local hospitality.”  

I sigh in exasperation and pull my phone out to check the time. 

 “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m late to an audition, like it even matters now. I won’t get the job anyway, and your little distraction.” I dangle my fingers in the air at him. “It isn’t helping either.” 

“Their loss.” He shrugs while giving me a wide smirk that makes my body tingle.  

He has perfectly straight white teeth. It’s amazing. It’s the kind of teeth that only dentist’s kids have. I lean in to get a closer look at his mouth. Stop that! Just look at him. He will use you and throw you away with a broken heart. He isn’t a safe choice. My word, how does he keep them so white with all the smoking? Stop it, Ginger!

“Are you okay?”

★★★★★

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ginger's story was just sooo good, so awesome. Totally awe-inspiring. And seriously funny.

Argh, this is definitely a new favorite!

The writing was written with an easy flow and very smooth. I really liked the different points of view which changed between the two main characters Ginger and Cas.

Ginger's character is very out there, but still a very head-strong female character that reminds me a bit of Juana in Bonelli's Caballo de Fuego trilogy. Oh, and Quinn would be like Matilde.
Okayy, now onto Cas... Mmmmm mmmmm mmmm! I could not get enough of this stud. This hunk of man. His character man my insides turn to jelly. I admire his selflessness, and the road had to trek on into getting to where he is now. I adore the way he took care of Ginger, even if it was really only that one scene.

This was in no way an easy-peesy love story. The. Struggle. Is. Real. Shit got tough, but both Ginger and Cas were there for each other and that in itself was a beautiful thing to watch(technically read) unfold.

Don't even get my started on the flirting, oh it was on.

This was such a squeal-inducing, spit-out-your-drink hilarious and most of all a perfectly imperfect kind of read that just gets you here *pointing to my heart*

I was raw, it was gutsy, but it was real.

Overall, I had an amazing reading experience, I literally cannot wait for the next Cas and Ginger book!. I fell in love with Gaitan's work and look forward to reading, anything really, by this very talented writer.

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About the Author:

Briana Gaitan grew up in the South, but calls herself a geek at heart. She is a blogger,author,and fangirl who loves Star Wars, Star Trek, and Jewelry (bet you never thought you'd hear those three things in a sentence together) For fun, she loves watching any show on the SyFy channel, relaxing with her family, reading, and listening to indie music (sometimes all at the same time). Briana loves to write stories where there are no limits to the imagination. She is also the co-author of the fantasy Ethereal Underground series.

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Don't miss the other books in the Hollywood Timelines series!

The Last Thing | Bash | Maria