contemporary romance

Audible Review: Restless Waters by Jessica Park

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01 aud Just when I thought a book couldn’t get any better… Man, oh man! I just finished listening to the audible version and I’m a puddle on the floor. Since I’ve read the story, I knew what was going to happen. But nothing could prepare me for actually hearing this heartbreaking story. Between the super talented narrator’s voice and the beautiful music that was sung throughout, I was overcome with emotions. I tend to get that way when I read anyways, but this was more. It’s hard to describe, but when you actually hear the words, they have more of an impact. In fact, my husband was laughing at me, as the tears fell down my face, more than once last night. I was a mess.

Arielle DeLisle was fantastic as the narrator. She made me forget everything and drew me in. Her voice brought so much emotion, I could feel Sabin’s torment and pain. It gutted me. And then to add Troy’s music and voice in the mix, I was sunk. Totally sunk. He captured Sabin’s emotions perfectly.

I know that Audible members can get 50% off right now, before the holidays. So if you’re on the fence about getting this, trust me. You want to hear this.

~Melpomene

Grab the audible version HERE.

Grab the kindle version HERE. It’s actually free on KU!

Check out my review HERE.

Review and Giveaway: The Best Goodbye by Abbi Glines

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01 good “Oh, Captain, my captain.” Seriously. Swooning.

When I read When You’re Back, a few months ago, I completely fell for Captain. I wasn’t a big fan of some of his actions, but he intrigued me. And then the ending of that book left me with a fierce need for his story. I knew it was going to be good, because deep down he’s a good guy, but I had no idea his story would turn out this way. He may not always seem like it, but his intentions are in the right place, even if they seem like they’re not.

SYNOPSIS
After ten years in the employ of a mysterious crime boss, River “Captain” Kipling is ready to leave his sordid past—and his cover occupation as an upscale restaurateur—behind him. The only thing standing in the way of his “retirement” is his commitment to launch a new restaurant in the resort town of Rosemary Beach. With his sister, Blaire, nearby, Captain can delay his dream of running a humble bar on the waterfront, but the unwanted attentions of his head server, Elle, have him itching to get out.

Until he notices Rose Henderson, the new server at the restaurant. All he knows about the pretty redhead with the cute glasses is that she’s a hardworking single mom from Oklahoma. But there’s something overly familiar about her laugh…something strange about the way she looks at Captain…

I am so happy with this book. I wanted Captain to have someone to love him. I knew there was someone made just for him. It was too bad that life put a few road blocks in his path and making it difficult to live the life he wanted.

Finding out his past, broke my heart. His life turned tragic, years ago, and he’s spent the last 10 years trying to make the world a better place for those who can’t do it themselves. His ways aren’t what you consider “right.” But in my eyes, he was doing a job that many wish they could do but never had the guts to do it. After surviving what he did, he wanted no one else to suffer like that.

“No one touched my soul, Addy. Only you.”

I would say more, but there’s a bit of a turn in this story that makes me both happy and sad. Lies and deception have a way of messing up Captain’s world, but little does know that it’s all about to come out in the open and change his life again.

Abbi has created a world of characters that you wish you were a part of. The way they stand up for each other and drop everything to help each other, is refreshing. I love seeing the past characters come in and out of each book. It’s so good to see how their lives have been. And let me tell you, in this book, we get a snippet of a possible future, and I.CAN’T.WAIT.

~Melpomene

Be sure to go HERE and enter the rafflcopter.

Buy The Best Goodbye: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Series)

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Review: Colorado Mountain series by Kristen Ashley

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01 Colorado Mountain

Holy emotional roller coaster, Batman!!!

I just spent the last two weeks reading Kristen Ashley’s Colorado Mountain series and then kicking myself for waiting so long to pick these up. I am seriously questioning my sanity as a romance reader. These are a must!!! In fact, go to her website and look at the reading order HERE and start reading. Trust me. Things make a lot more sense that way. You can still enjoy them just by reading each series, but if you go in order, it brings out a few details and “Holy Crap!” moments that you don’t want to miss.

These six books all have a heavy dose of romance with a nice dose of excitement that sure to get your heart racing and your emotions rolling. My favorites, in this series are The Gamble and Breathe. In The Gamble, Max is the super alpha male who doesn’t take no for an answer. He is a fierce protector and lover. *whew* What a way to start the series!!

My most favorite book was Breathe. There’s aren’t enough words to convey all of my feelings. I had tears all over the place, with this one. I had a few “Holy crap!” moments, and then I discovered why she has a reading order. It made all kind of sense, going in the intended order. I went all giggly when I got to that point. It made me love her even more. When you go to read it, you MUST have this song nearby. No joke. Every time I hear this song, I think of this story and I start crying. My family makes me skip it when it comes on. They hate to see me cry. But this song…..

If you’ve never read Kristen Ashley, I highly encourage you give her a try. You can thank me later.

~Melpomene

The Gamble (Colorado Mountain Series Book 1)
Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain Series Book 2)
Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain Series Book 3)
Breathe (Colorado Mountain Series Book 4)
Jagged (Colorado Mountain Series Book 5)
Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain Series Book 6)

Review: Reaper’s Fall by Joanna Wylde

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01 reap I like MC books. They live a life I’ll never understand. They have a sense of loyalty and support that you’ll never find anywhere else. Reaper’s Fall is all about that. It’s about finding a balance and opening up yourself to more than just your family of brothers. It’s about opening yourself up to a real family.

SYNOPSIS
He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

Being in a MC means doing what needs to be done, for the good of the club. If that means putting yourself out there, and then going to jail, that’s what you do. When Painter met Melanie, there was an instant attraction, but then he got himself into trouble and was sent to prison for two years. But when he’s out, she thinks that they’ll be able to start right up, where they left off, but she has no idea why that’s not going to happen.

My feelings are all over the place, with this book. I liked it, and yet I spent the majority of the book with anger flowing through my veins. Painter made me so mad and yet I knew what was going through his head. I knew what he was trying to do and how he thought he was making the best decisions. And then the other part, I wanted to smack Melanie upside the head, because she couldn’t see what was right in front of her. Painter was doing what he thought was best and she kept getting stuck in her own head. These two needed someone to knock some sense into them.

I’m glad we got to see Painter get his story. He’s not really a likable character, from the past books we’ve read, but he was due to get knocked on his bum by a girl. I’m glad I hung in there and watched it happen.

~Melpomene

Buy Reaper’s Fall (Reapers Motorcycle Club)

Get caught up:
Reaper’s Property (Reapers Motorcycle Club Book 1)
Reaper’s Legacy (Reapers Motorcycle Club Book 2)
Devil’s Game (Reapers Motorcycle Club Book 3)
Reaper’s Stand (Reapers Motorcycle Club Book 4)

Review and Giveaway: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

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01 nov91 Can you imagine seeing a person only one day a year, with no way of getting in touch with them? What happens the other 364 days? What do you do? How do you live a life without that person, with whom you have this amazing connection with?

“You can’t leave yet. I’m not finished falling in love with you.”

Sometimes you read books that you like so much and you have a hard time putting those feelings into words. This is one of those books. November 9 packed an emotional punch that rivals even Point of Retreat for my top CoHo spot. From the very first chapter I was sucked in, and every chapter that followed, I felt my heart being stretched to the point of splintering. It has everything I like in a book, romance, heartache, and quite a few “Holy Crap!” moments.

SYNOPSIS
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

I fell in love with Ben almost instantly. I admit it. He made me laugh and swoon, and of course, cry. I loved everything about him. Was he perfect? No. Was he perfect for Fallon? Oh yes. I swear, some of the things he would say, made me crack up. Fallon could hold her own with him completely, but he had a way of being the perfect book boyfriend without even trying. The banter between these two, was perfect. They were both so quick witted and I found myself giggling quite often. It reminded me of seeing interactions online between Colleen and her sisters. People who have true emotional connections are the ones who could pull these off perfectly.

I have a feeling the audible is going to be amazing, and I’ll be startling quite a few people with my outbursts.

“Who knows what could happen between now and then. Hell, I didn’t even have hair on my nuts five years ago.”

See?! Hilarious!!! There are many more where this came from.

Now on the flip side, there were so many scenes that made me step back and collect myself. They were beautiful and poignant and life changing, for all involved. Every year they part ways I am sitting on the edge of my seat hoping for them to decide to just chuck it all and stay together, but I understand why they didn’t.

So many things happen in this book, that I would love to tell you, but that would spoil the story. There’s a few twists and turns that will knock your socks off. I may have gasped a time or two, while reading. Heck, I may have even squealed also. But what I can say is that the constant “booksting” scenes were some of the best scenes. It was like sitting with a group of friends. Ben and Fallon were just like we are, in our book clubs. They were saying all things we say.

If you want a book that will have you shedding happy and sad tears, then this is the book is for you. If you want a book that will twist your heart, then this is the book is for you. If you want a book that will leave you emotionally satisfied and physically drained, then this is the book for you.

Buy it. Read it. Love it.

~Melpomene

Be sure to go HERE and enter the giveaway!!

Buy November 9: A Novel

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Don’t miss Colleen on tour for NOVEMBER 9:

DALLAS, TX

Monday, November 9th

HALF PRICE BOOKS

10:00 PM

5803 E Northwest Hwy

Dallas, TX 75231

http://www.hpb.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/571747856307832/

CINCINNATI, OH

Tuesday, November 10th

JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS

7:00 PM

2692 Madison Road

Cincinnati, OH 45208

http://www.josephbeth.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/910564405703742/

CHICAGO, IL

Wednesday, November 11th

ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP

7:00 PM

26 S. La Grange Rd.

La Grange, IL 60525

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/877624532344894/

RIDGEWOOD, NJ

Thursday, November 12th

BOOK ENDS

7:00 PM

211 E. Ridgewood Avenue

Ridgewood, NJ 07450

http://www.book-ends.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/176661676006949/

WHITE PLAINS, NY

Friday, November 13th

BARNES & NOBLE #2202

7:00 PM

230 Main Street

White Plains, NY 10601

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/760158847428849/

MIAMI, FL

Saturday, November 14th

BOOKS & BOOKS

5:00 PM

265 Aragon Avenue

Coral Gables, FL 33134

http://www.booksandbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/903716756377916/

BOSTON, MA

Sunday, November 15th

BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH
5:00 PM
279 Harvard St
Brookline, MA 02446

http://www.brooklinebooksmith.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1484734548495141/

LOS ANGELES, CA

Tuesday, November 17th

CHEVALIER’S BOOKS

7:00 PM

126 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90004

http://www.chevaliersbooks.com

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1008186655868793/

AUSTIN, TX

Tuesday, December 8th
BOOK PEOPLE

7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
512-472-5050
http://www.bookpeople.com/

RSVP and details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1642732965964748/

Review and Giveaway: Surviving Ice by K.A.Tucker

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01 sur This is a story of two people who have lived their lives alone, never getting attached to anyone, and what happens when that life is out of your control and you have to make the decision to rely on someone else for a change.

SYNOPSIS
Ivy, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is finally looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have found it in San Francisco, but all that changes when she witnesses a terrible crime. She’s ready to pack up her things yet again, when a random encounter with a stranger keeps her in the city, giving her reason to stay after all.

That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter wasn’t random. Not at all…

I love Ivy. This tough as nails girl, who can never seem to stay in one place for very long, caught my attention quite a while ago. She always seemed like she didn’t need anyone, but being alone all the time, isn’t good for anyone. Therefore, making friends hasn’t been easy for her. But in the past 7 months she’s spent with her uncle, she is debating on putting down roots, for once in her life. But when she witnesses her uncle being killed, her life is turned upside down and now she questions whether or not she should. But when Sebastian walks in, something about him draws her to him and she thinks that maybe she could.

Sebastian has many secrets. The biggest one being the reason why he stumbled upon Ivy’s doorstep. But if all goes to plan, she’ll never know and he’ll be able to keep her. He had no idea what he was getting himself into, when he first got there, but once he laid eyes on her, his life was flipped upside down and he has to make one of the hardest decisions that will change his life drastically. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Sebastian, and I wondered if he was going to be able to live up to the other men in this series, but he held his own and that made me very happy. I loved to see the instant attraction between these two.

This was the final book in the Burying Water series. I’m sad to see it end, but it ends in the best way possible. From the very first chapter, you’ll be sucked right in. This wasn’t an angst filled story, but a romance with a nice amount of suspense. A bit calmer, I should say. I think it fit perfectly for Ivy. She’s had enough adventure in her life. It’s time for her to get settled and get her own happy ever after. This is an interconnected standalone. So you don’t need to read the first three books, but I highly recommend that you do. You’ll see pieces of Ivy all through them, so you’ll get to see what makes her the way she is.

~Melpomene

49072-Surviving-Ice-Social-Graphics-612x612A5

EXCERPT
It’s just a regular ringtone. For me, though, it’s the wail of a war siren, and I’m immediately alert. There is only one person who has this number, and I didn’t expect him to use it again so soon.
The tile is cool against my bare feet as I roll out of bed. I collect the phone from the nightstand with one fluid movement, unhindered by sheets or the morning sluggishness that an average person might face. Stepping through the propped-open patio doors and onto the balcony, I answer with a low, curt “Yeah.” The sky is just beginning to lighten over the quiet bay. Dozens of boats sit moored below, their passengers lulled into deep sleep by the ocean air and rhythmic waves. I’m high enough up that I’m not likely to offend anyone with my lack of clothing, especially at this hour. Not that I’m truly concerned by it.
“Ice.”
The code name is a sharp contrast to the warm breeze skating across my bare skin. My adrenaline begins to spike, all the same. Hearing it means that I will be forced to leave this haven soon. Sooner than I had hoped.
“How is recovery going?”
I instinctively peer down at the angry red scar on the outside of my thigh, where a bullet drilled into my flesh and muscle just three weeks ago, outside of Kabul. I nearly bled out before I made it to the doc. He patched me up on a makeshift operating table, buried deep in a maze of rooms, and charged me a hefty price.
“Like new,” I lie.
“Good.” Bentley’s voice is rich and smooth, a welcome sound in a sea of strangers. “Where are you now?”
I peer out over the beautiful vista of crystal blue water and whitewashed stone buildings, the volcanic rock cliffs in the distance, reluctant to divulge my location. I sank a good chunk of my last payout on renting this one-bedroom villa for the month. It’s my private sanctuary, where I can revel in anonymity and peace for a while, before finding somewhere else to drift to.
Bentley has never asked before.
But he also has the technical capabilities to trace this call. If he really wants to find out, then he will. In fact, the second I picked up, he probably already had his answer. “Where do I need to be?” I say instead.
“San Francisco.”

Go HERE for the giveaway!!!

Buy Surviving Ice: A Novel (The Burying Water Series)

Start from the beginning:
Burying Water: A Novel (The Burying Water Series)
Becoming Rain: A Novel (The Burying Water Series)
Chasing River: A Novel (The Burying Water Series)

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Review: Love Unspoken by Lisa De Jong

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01 loveI swear, Lisa De Jong has mastered the art of tying me up in knots and then very slowly loosening the ropes.

Love Unspoken takes place immediately after Lies Unspoken. So if you haven’t read the first book, stop reading this right now. Go and read it and then come back here. I’ll wait…..

still waiting…..

more waiting….

Done? Good. Whew! That would’ve been bad.

Love Unspoken is about finding happiness and love. It’s about making the right choice, even if it hurts. And boy, does it hurt. It hurts so good.

SYNOPSIS
I lent my heart to the bad boy, and he did exactly what I expected he would. He broke it.

And the guy I should have been with—he’s still here. He tries to take my mind off everything I’ve lost while showing me what I could have. I’m ready for a new start, to fall in love again … to do what I should have done in the first place.

Everything seems perfect.

Then the past comes walking back in. I thought I was over him, but one look and I know that’s not true. We went through too much together for those feelings to completely fade away.

When my past and present collide, how am I supposed to choose? They both love me, and I love them.

A heart will be broken … and it could be mine.

Where to begin??? When we last saw Lila, she was left heartbroken and now she has to put the pieces of her heart back together. When so much time has passed and she begins to wonder if she’ll ever be whole again.

My word, does this book bring out the feels!! I mean, seriously. Lila is trying to move on but her heart won’t let her. It wants what it wants. And it wants a second chance with the one who broke it. But man, oh man, does it take the long way around. Lots of speed bumps disguised as secrets and surprises made for an interesting ride.

I spent much of the book angry at Blake. I understand he has things from his past, which we find out, but he didn’t handle things as I think he should’ve. He should’ve told Lila everything. Why leave her in the dark? On the flip side, I get why he did. Sometimes heartaches of that magnitude, aren’t so easy to talk about.

I loved Pierce. LOVED. He was so supportive and I am so glad Lila had him to lean on. He was the perfect man. Strong, alpha and so very sexy. Majorly swoon worthy. All through the book I just wanted him happy.

While the first book KILLED me, this book was a slow burn. I was good with that. I don’t think my heart could take any more drama.

“Our hearts weren’t made to hold one person. They were made to love many with a special place for the one we love most.”

And that ending!!! I have a feeling I know who the next book is about. I couldn’t be happier. Bring it, Lisa. I’m ready to have my heart ripped out again.

~Melpomene

Buy Lies Unspoken (Flawed Love Book 1)

Love Unspoken (A Flawed Love Book 2)

EXCERPT
My eyes scan the room, full of well-dressed men, many with beautiful women on their arms. A few of them look lost like me, but most own the room like professional socialites. This could never be my whole life, I think to myself.
And, as I continue scanning, I see him.
He’s here. The man who stole my soul is standing across the room with his back against the wall. My eyes are locked on him, but his eyes dance around the room like I’m not here. Maybe to him, I never was. Maybe he’s looking for the next one—the girl he’ll show the world to then disappear.
I look beside me—at Pierce—and I feel sick that any part of me even wants to go across the room. I feel sick because there’s a man here who I know could make me happy—who does make me happy—and yet I’m willing to throw it all away. He looks away from Royce, eyes instantly finding mine. He smiles, and I return it the best I can because for just a few more minutes, I need him to think that nothing has changed. And, maybe nothing has.
“I’m going to find the restroom,” I whisper to Pierce.
“I’ll come with you.”
Shaking my head, I say, “No, you stay. I’ll be right back.”
He nods, hesitantly, and I wait for him to turn his attention back to Royce before blazing a path through the crowd, anxious to prove to myself that this isn’t a dream.
The shield cracks.
My heart races.
His eyes still roam, taking in everything … everything but me.
I’m not going to let him out of my sight … I’m not going to let him hide from the anguish he’s buried me in the last several months. He has nowhere to run. Even if he did, I wouldn’t let him, not this time.
A few long strides and I’m standing in front of him, staring into those familiar pained eyes. When you love someone, it’s impossible to look at them and feel hate. You may want to feel it. You may think you feel it, but love and hate can’t co-exist. I hate that I love him, but I can’t hate him.
And, I want to hate him. It would make it easier to love someone like Pierce who deserves my heart. This man stole it months ago, and I don’t think he has any intention of returning it. Sometimes I don’t know if I want it back.
But then, I think of the last few days—few months actually—and I realize another man may be winning it back for me. Maybe it’s not gone forever but simply misplaced.
His hair is a little longer, but he’s the same. The way he stands … the way his fingers curl around a beer bottle. He’s exactly the same.
“Blake,” I whisper, afraid of what he’ll say, what he’ll do. Still afraid he’ll find a way to run away, and I won’t be able to catch him.
He stares at me like he’s never even met me, or maybe he’s spent the last several months trying to forget me. I can’t say I haven’t tried to do the same. There’s not enough alcohol in the world do erase him.
“Does he make you happy?” he finally asks, practically staring through me. He sounds so broken, so sad.
“Who?” I ask, caught off guard by his question.
“Pierce. Does he make you happy?”
My eyes well with tears I’ve left unshed … tears I left for him to see. “Yes,” I whisper, doing my best to hold them in. He deserves to watch every single one of them run down my cheek but not here … not now.
He nods, reaching his fingers up toward my cheek before quickly pulling them back away. And just as quickly as he came back into my life, he’s gone.
It’s really over.
If any part of him wanted me, he would have fought for me.

Review and Giveaway: Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh

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01 rock I like reading friends to lovers and second chance romances. In fact, they’re some of my favorite sub genres. So when I first started reading this book, I realized that I was getting both of these, and I was super excited!

SYNOPSIS
Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.

Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.

When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.

This book was a slow burn. There was no real angst or emotional craziness. There was heartache and sweet romance. I thought there would be a bit more sauciness, but these two characters wouldn’t get with the program. Too many hurt feelings were flying around, to let that happen.

I really enjoyed seeing all the past couples involved in their story. Seeing how well they turned out, gave me hope for these two. Plus we get an idea of who the next book could be about. I am hoping we get to see a little more of Kit and Noah later on. I feel that their story isn’t quite done yet.

EXCERPT
Kit groaned at the sound of her phone. Reaching out blindly toward the nightstand, she hurled mental curses upon herself for forgetting to turn it off so she could catch some uninterrupted sleep before her four-a.m. makeup call.
It’d be fun and great for her career, her agent had said when recommending Kit take the superhero flick. Coming off two serious and emotionally wrenching projects, Kit had taken Harper’s advice and jumped on board the high-budget, high-octane venture. Unfortunately, Harper had forgotten to mention the four hours it would take to put her into the head-to-toe makeup required for the role. Daily.
“What?” she snarled into the phone without checking to see who it was.
“Hey, Katie.”
Every cell in her body snapped wide awake. Lifting her eyelids, she just stared at the ceiling through gritty eyes. Her heart thumped, her throat moving convulsively as she swallowed. She hated that he could still do this to her, hated it, but her visceral response to Noah wasn’t something she could stop. She knew because she’d tried for the past two years and three months.
“Noah,” she said flatly. “Do you know what time it is?”
“Two fifteen,” he answered.
Kit should’ve hung up. God, he’d hurt her. So much. But there was something in his voice that had her sitting up. “Are you drunk?” One thing she knew about Noah: no matter his bad-boy rep, he was never wasted. He might give a good indication of it, but look closely and those dark gray eyes were always sober.
“Probably.” A silence, followed by, “I just wanted to hear your voice. Sorry for waking you.”
“Wait,” she said when he would’ve hung up. “Where are you?”
“Some dive.” He took a deep breath, released it in a harsh exhale. “I’m sorry for being an asshole. I wanted to tell you that. I don’t want to go without saying that.”
“Noah,” she said, a horrible feeling in her stomach. “Where exactly are you?”
“The Blue Flamingo Inn off Hollywood Boulevard. Far, far, far off.” He laughed, and it held no humor. “It has a neon sign of a blue—surprise!—flamingo that’s flashing right through my window. Looks like someone stole the curtains.”
Having already grabbed her laptop, which she’d left beside the bed after answering some e-mails before sleep claimed her, she found the Blue Flamingo Inn. But Noah was already gone, having said, “I love your voice, Kit,” in an oddly raw tone before hanging up.
He didn’t pick up when she called back.
“Damn it! Damn it!” She shoved aside the blanket under which she’d been buried, having turned the AC to ice-cold as she usually did at night. Shivering, she tugged on a pair of jeans and an old sweatshirt over the panties and tank top in which she’d gone to sleep.
Pulling her black hair into a rough ponytail to keep it out of her eyes, she ran through the house, phone in one pocket, credit card and driver’s license in the other. In the kitchen, she grabbed her keys off the counter and shoved her feet into the tennis shoes by the door that led to the garage.
She was in her car and on the way to the motel three minutes after Noah had hung up, mouth dry and an ugliness in her gut. “Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay,” she kept saying, the mantra doing nothing to calm her down, but at least it kept her mind focused.
She wanted to call Molly and Fox, or the others in the band, but no one was currently in the city. Schoolboy Choir had completed the final show in the band’s hugely successful tour just over two weeks earlier. Day after that, they’d all gone their separate ways to recharge and regroup.
“Much as I love these guys,” David had said with a grin that reached the dark gold of his eyes, “I’ve been looking at their ugly mugs daily for months. We need to go blow off some steam separately before we start snarling at each other.”
At the time, Kit had nodded in understanding, having had that same experience while working on location for long periods. Tonight, however, she wished the others were all here, not scattered across the country, because something was very wrong with Noah.
“Noah doesn’t do drugs,” she told herself as she drove as fast as she dared, not wanting to risk getting pulled over and further delayed. “He isn’t the kind to—” She couldn’t say it, couldn’t even think of Noah ending his life. “No,” she said firmly, her hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel. “Noah isn’t like that.”

If you’d like to read the rest of this chapter, as well as the next, click this link: http://nalinisingh.com/books/rock-kiss-series/rock-redemption/

~Melpomene

Enter HERE to win a $50 Amazon GC.

Buy Rock Redemption (Rock Kiss Book 3)

Get caught up with the rest of the gang:
Rock Addiction (Rock Kiss Book 1)
Rock Courtship: A Rock Kiss Novella
Rock Hard (Rock Kiss Book 2)

Review: Grayson’s Vow by Mia Sheridan

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01 gray “True love is the greatest leap of faith there is.”

I love Mia Sheridan. I love the the romantic stories she writes. This story is no exception. Grayson’s Vow was full of heartache and desperation. But mostly it was filled with hope. Hope that one person can turn a life, a life that’s filled with more pain that one should ever have to bear, around, and to heal the hurt.

Grayson was hopeless. My heart was actually breaking for him as I read about his past and how he is trying to move forward and keep the vow he made. He’s willing to do anything, even accept the outrageous proposal made by Kira.

When Kira first entered the picture I was intrigued. I was hoping for some dynamic interactions between the two of them. Boy, did I get my wish. These two were so stubborn sometimes and hurt each other, with and without even realizing it. But I held out hope that they could find a common ground and both keep their vows, without causing more pain.

“Love means exposing yourself-all of yourself, every tender part-to being hurt. Because true love is not only the flower, true love is also the thorns.”

My feelings are all over the place with this book. I swear I spent the last few chapter on the edge of my seat, trying to maintain my calmness. As with all good books, this part is what makes or breaks the story. I needed that ending to bring it all full circle and end the pain they both were suffering from.

~Melpomene

Buy Grayson’s Vow

Review: Restless Waters(Left Drowning #2) by Jessica Park

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01 rest My heart has been squeezed and shredded, and glued and mended. Restless Waters is filled with enough emotion to sweep you out to sea, unless you’re holding tight to someone.

“Breathe. Just breathe.”

“There’s no air, Blythe.”

“Reach for me. I won’t let you drown. I’m right here.”

He rubs my back some more and then laughs lightly. “You’re already taken.”

“I have two hands, Sabin. Grab one.”

I have loved Sabin from the very first moment we met him, in Left Drowning. I knew there was more going on inside his head than he let on. I KNEW that his story, however it was told, was going to make me feel. I was so right.

SYNOPSIS
A storm is coming, and with storms come restless waters.

Pulled from the depths of catastrophe and depression, Blythe McGuire has learned to escape from her past while embracing the future. A future now entwined with the Shepherd siblings.

With Chris, she shares a staggering romance that kicks heartbreak’s ass.

With Sabin, she shares an intense friendship, one that’s becoming more complicated than either had expected. A friendship now being put to the test because Sabin’s brutal past still haunts him. Because trauma is the gift that keeps on giving without mercy.

Now Sabin is the one left drowning and struggling to breathe, and his turmoil threatens to send all three into dark currents they cannot escape. Even after going through her own hell, saving Sabin will take much more than Blythe had anticipated. Their connection and their love could help, but getting him to reach for her hand could be Blythe’s biggest challenge ever.

Blythe has found a way to breathe, with the love of Chris and Sabin. Sabin is her best friend. In fact, everyone would count themselves lucky to have a friend like Sabin. He is charismatic and loving, and loyal to a fault. He wants his loved ones to feel no pain. But as they grow closer, she notices that Sabin is falling apart. He wants to be free, but at the same time, he can’t stand being alone. If Blythe isn’t strong enough to save him, she’s going to drown right along with him.

My heart was breaking this entire time. True to the Left Drowning feel, I had to step away from everyone, as I couldn’t contain the sobs that overcame me, at one scene. I was completely caught off guard and my heart squeezed so tight.

I wanted Sabin to be happy. But no matter how loud and crazy he was, there was undercurrent within him, that you felt through the pages. Restless waters is the perfect description of him. He was all over the place. Never settled. He was hurting and helpless. After growing up the crazy household they did, there are bound to be scars that remain below the surface. Healing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of fierce love and compassion to prevent someone from drowning in sadness and pain.

So hold on. Grab a box of tissues and get cozy. You won’t want to get up until you’ve finished.

~Melpomene

Buy Restless Waters: A Left Drowning Novel (Left Drowning Series Book 2)

Read Left Drowning (Left Drowning Series Book 1) first, to fully understand where Sabin is coming from. This book is in my top 10 of all times. I have much love for this series.