The Reflections Series by Gia Riley {blog tour, review, giveaway}

Series Title: The Reflection series

Including: Between the Pain, After the Pain

Author: Gia Riley

Released: June 2014 & Sept 2014

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Graduating from nursing school and finding herself thrown into the real world, twenty-two year old Hallie Dawson is determined to prove herself on the job. A chance encounter on the first day has charming Ryan Andrews showing up everywhere she goes. With only a string of random hook-ups and one failed relationship in her past, Hallie isn’t used to being pursued. For the first time, two men desire her. Will she choose the right one – or does fate hold all the cards? 

Between the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novella about finding love - and being brave enough to follow your heart. Will Hallie end up in the arms of her true love or are the moments in between her pain forming the real story.

Timing is everything. 

A fraction of a second, one altered course, one note -- change her life forever.

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The song ends and we’re left in the middle of the dance floor staring at each other. Neither of us makes a move to say anything else. Why can’t I just say yes like any other normal girl would? 

One of the bartenders is on the small stage announcing a drink special and something about a band starting in fifteen minutes. I’m too busy looking into Ryan’s eyes to really care about either of those two things right now. Before I have a chance to get my words of acceptance out, Ryan decides to end the moment. 

“Think about it, about what I said. It’s just a date and I don’t care if we do it like everyone else or not. Well I care how we do it but that isn’t important right now.” The heat in his gaze makes me take a step back, not because I’m not feeling it, but because I am feeling it. I’ve never had a reaction quite like this one before. I’m quickly figuring out Ryan isn’t like most guys and I think he’s just the adventure I need to help break out of my shell.

Does everything really happen for a reason? 

Hallie Dawson is battling with a broken heart yet determined to give love a second chance. Once again, time isn’t in her favor. Her moments After the Pain are filled with promises of a better future and personal secrets. With mysterious notes continuously haunting her and a secret friendship with a fellow musician, Hallie is struggling to stay true to her heart. 

Tall, dark and handsome, Sean Thomas, is tired of being second best. This time, the good guy refuses to finish last. If he wants to get the girl, he’s going to have to confront the one person who broke his heart. His past is on a collision course with his future – will he be able to hang onto his connection with Hallie? 

After the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novel about restoring faith in the beauty of love. Can Sean put the pieces of Hallie’s heart back together? Will love conquer all, or will jealousy and secrets tear them apart?

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“Wow, babe,” Sean says when he gets out of the shower. I should thank him for the compliment but I’m enjoying my own view right now. His towel is slung around his hips, taunting me. I want nothing more than to yank on the small corner holding it in place. I keep my eyes locked on his and can physically see the second he realizes my intentions. 

“Hallie, what are you doing?”

“Exploring.” When I reach him, my hands untuck the corner of the towel, sending it falling to the floor. My hands start at his broad shoulders making sure to touch every single velvety inch of skin in front of me. I place my lips on his chest, sucking up the water droplets left behind. “Shit, baby. Your mouth feels incredible.”

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- I have a degree in Behavioral Science.

- I’m a huge college football fan.

- I don’t write in order. 

- Secretly, I’d love to be country singer and live in Nashville. I guess it’s not a secret anymore. 

- I’ve been to eleven countries but never ventured out of North America.

- I’d rather pick truth than dare.

- My first concert was Boyz II Men. 

- I’m a germaphone.

- I’d like to spend the day with Jimmy Fallon, Melissa McCarthy, and Kristen Wiig.

- I’ve never owned an iphone. I’m a Samsung Galaxy girl.

I'm a lover of all things romance and a firm believer that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Currently residing in the small but mighty state of Delaware, I take pride in creating characters who are real, personable, and entertaining. 

When I'm not busy working on my next book, I can be found roaming the isles of Kirkland's or up to my elbows in Play-doh.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~Maya Angelou

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REVIEW:
Book 1 - Between the Pain

3.5 stars This book was really well written. It started off great and then it just fell flat. I get the plot twist but it just didn't do it for me. I wanted so badly for the story to go in another direction. I absolutely adored Ryan & Hallie. I never connected with Sean in the beginning of the story so it was very difficult for me to suddenly switch my emotions. I'm curious as to what book 2 will bring..... Book 2 - After the Pain  4 stars Well book two was definitely more to my liking. Sean is still around and I guess I've come to accept that that is not going to change. However, Hallie and Sean both have a lot to deal with in this book. And a lot of it revolves around Sean's past this time. We are also introduced to Colby who I really like. The ending leaves me questioning where this story is going. Is this the end of Hallie & Sean's story or will there be more? Could be interesting to see. :)

Rellik by Teresa Mummert {review}

Synopsis:

Rellik Bentley is to die for.

He can have any woman he wants and they will do anything to be with him. He uses and abuses them like drugs and tosses them out with the trash. The only thing he gives a f*ck about is his music. That is, until Ella Leighton walks into his life and stumbles upon one of his darkest secrets. In the midst of doing damage control, he begins to obsess over the mysterious woman who wants absolutely nothing to do with him.

Rellik won't take no for an answer. 

 

Full length (stand-alone) novel with bonus sample of Pretty Little Things 

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REVIEW:

I always say Teresa Mummert can't top herself and she proves me wrong time and again. I thought Pretty Little Things was dark and sexy but it has nothing on Rellik. Rellik was AMAZING! This story has me on the edge of my seat thinking what's going to happen next? What plot twist is she going to throw at me to screw with my head? Because we all know she is the Queen of Mindf*¢ks. I absolutely loved the band members! I am so keeping my fingers crossed for future books telling their stories. By the time I was done reading Rellik I was in a state of giggly madness. I couldn't do much other than fan girl over Teresa and her brilliant mind. The story of Rellik and Ella is unique and so twisted it's bound to be a hit!

A Place to Stand by Meg Farrell {blog tour, review}

Title: A Place to Stand

Author: Meg Farrell

Release Date: July 2014

Find on Goodreads

Rhae Peters is happily married to her best friend, Ryan, who loves her more than anything in this world. Her life comes crashing down when the worst thing imaginable happens -- Ryan is killed in an accident. Rhae is faced with figuring out how to continue living without him. He is all she has ever known. Adding insult to injury, she learns that Ryan was keeping secrets. The revelation causes her to question everything about their marriage.

With her life in turmoil, Rhae wants to start over and forget everything about Ryan, and the life she thought they had. She builds a coping mechanism out of her friends and family, including her neighbor Cade. Chivalrous and overwhelmingly handsome, Rhae feels the hand of propriety holding her back from pursuing more with him, despite all the clues that let her know he's willing.

Rhae and Cade are broken in their own ways, and must help each other overcome the pasts and secrets that haunt them.

Amazon

I heave a sigh and eventually convince myself to go take care of business. I slip my wallet in my back pocket and leave my purse in the room. Reluctantly, I tie my sneakers and head out. 

Music is spilling out from the clubs and restaurants I pass on the way back to my car; mostly jazz, zydeco, and country. There are even musicians in the street. They are extremely talented. Something about the vibe of the street party makes me forget about being tired and about going to get my car moved. It’s hard to walk through these streets without feeling a desire to shake my booty. Street vendors are telling fortunes and others are selling miscellaneous souvenirs. My imagination, being on overdrive, makes me wonder if they are voodoo-related items or perhaps the key ingredients to a spell you could cast on someone. Perhaps they could give me a spell to help me forget the pain and misery my life has been recently. The reality is they are likely selling knock-off tourist items. They probably source them overseas and sell them as “authentic”. 

There are hawkers trying to draw people into their clubs. One interesting fellow is dressed in a an old black suit with his face painted like a Dia De Los Muertos skull. He isn’t yelling to get the attention of people walking by. He isn’t flattering ugly women to gain their attentions. No he is quiet. He is dancing to the music coming from the club. I watch him for what seems like an eternity. He never tires or seems exhausted by his dance. Peeking in the doors of the club I see the sway of the crowd inside. Their movement is curious. Like a single consciousness moving through all of them. The music they are dancing to is hypnotic. Without a thought or even a decision crossing my mind, I start moving towards the entrance. It’s as if my body has no power to walk away. It pulls at me from the center of my being and I need to be a part of it. 

I immediately blend in with the crowd and find myself surrounded with people I’ve never seen. Yet, somehow we are sharing this moment together. We sway and I sometimes spin. Hands grab for me and either supports me from spinning out of control, or just steady me in the sway. When the song changes, everyone makes their way to the tables and bars lining the edges of the dance floor. I feel cold and abandoned without the others. Swallowing my disappointment that this curious moment is over, I make my way to the bar, order a beer, and settle into a table to watch the crowd. It is sweaty for November, but I suspect that has more to do with the dancing and alcohol than the weather. 

The server is a kind, young man. I make quick friends and ask him to keep the beers coming. He nods and does a great job keeping me with a new one as needed. Men and women both smile or nod as they walk by my table to the dance floor. After several beers, I swallow my regret and apprehension, and join the new flow of people to the dance floor. The music has slowed and is even more hypnotic than before. I close my eyes and give myself over to the music.

A pair of strong arms slides around my waist from behind and a body begins to sway with me. At first, panic wells up in my throat but I quickly push it down. This is what the fresh start is about. Exploration. We continue dancing, never changing positions. I sink into the body behind me and it is a firm, strong place to rest. I reach up my right arm up and place my hand on the back of a sweaty neck. A mouth comes near to my ear as I pull on my dance partner. “I love the way you move,” he whispers in my ear. He. For a moment it occurs to me that his voice is familiar. Before I focus in on the familiarity too much, I take a hug gulp of my beer and set the bottle on a nearby table. 

Turning around, I chance a look at my mystery dance partner and I’m floored. I start blinking rapidly as if something is wrong with my vision. I'm hallucinating. I have had way too much to drink. It can’t be. He can’t be here. Not now. No. I shake my head and back away from him, bumping into tables and knocking over drinks. I push through the crowd to get to the door. I burst onto the street and breathe in a huge rush of cold air. It is so cold I get chills. 

“This is NOT happening,” I scream into the night.

I'm from North Mississippi, US. I'm a busy wife and mother, but decided to follow my dream of writing a novel. I completed the first draft of A Place to Stand during NaNoWriMo 2013 fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a writer.  My motivation to finish the dream, by publishing my book, was found among the most amazing group of people at a conference in Nashville, TN called UtopYA. My husband, Jason, and I have 3 children, 2 old dogs, and 2 surly cats. I am a huge fan of all things Supernatural (show and otherwise). I love fiction, young adult, dystopian, and ALL romances.

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REVIEW:
What an emotional, beautiful book about learning to live after tragedy. You will love the way she interacts with her family. Everything feels very real. You will also need lots and lots of tissues as this book will have you bawling your eyes out. It was a tearjerker for sure. It was beautifully written and is such a wonderful book! 5 stars!

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Forever Love Series by Megan Smith & Chelsea Landon {blog tour, review}

Title: Forever Love series

Including: Forever Dark and Forever Light

Authors: Chelsea Landon and Megan Smith

Release Date: Oct 16, 2014

Hosted by: Southern Belle Promotions & Book Plug Promotions

From the lights of the field, to the curve in the road, one shattered breath leaves friendships forever altered. 

The Forever Love Series will submerge you into two novels intertwined together where love and loss can break you down, tear you apart, and even last forever, if you’re willing to let it. 

After a celebratory night for six friends on the cusp of adulthood ends tragically, they’re left learning how to carry on. Years later, through their own struggles and accomplishments, each is left suspended by fears that encase them with such an intense blinding light, and a horrific soul-stealing darkness. Can they find their way out of the intricate web of guilt and deceit? Can they grasp the light amongst the shadows of what they used to be... and manage to be who they should become?

Sometimes the only way to heal is to face the fear of forever.

Forever Dark by Chelsea Landon

In Forever Dark, a novel by Chelsea Landon, you’ll spiral through life’s twists and turns of Cash Bryant, humbled quarterback, living his dream on the brink of fame, and Madison Thomas, a girl who shares the burden of the accident and destined for failure. Two people torn apart by tragedy; fearing that letting go will sever their remaining connection.

Forever Light by Megan Smith

In Forever Light, a new novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Megan Smith, you’ll meet Landon Hayes, an all-star wide receiver who is spiraling out of control after that one fateful night, and Macy Thomas, a college sweetheart who is shy and afraid to come out of her shell since the accident. When the heart-breaking reality sets in, can they find their light or is the past too dark to find their way?

Amazon

Excerpt from Forever Dark

It’s pouring outside, rain pelting my face and soaking my t-shirt. I don’t care. I still walk in the rain. 

Before I know it, I’m on the third floor and approaching her door, my shoes squeaking on the concrete floor. Taking my phone from my pocket, I send Madison a text.

You up?

She answers right away. It’s locked. Hold on.

My shoulder hits the wall, I lean into the door waiting for her to unlock it. A couple holding hands and beer passes by me. I don’t give them the time of day, even though they bump my shoulder and congratulate me on the season though we loss last night. 

Fuck football at this point.

I’m angry.

So fucking angry. 

I know I should have known that she was this girl but the fact that she kept stringing me along, that has me so angry.

I thought it was more.

That’s my problem. I thought.

When Madison opens the door, she’s dressed in my jersey from freshman year… yeah, the one she stole, and it’s a fading fucking reminder of what we used to be. I want to rip it off her body like she rips my heart out. 

When I step inside, she’s not looking at me and she won’t. She barely ever does.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice is low and hushed as she reaches to close the bathroom door.

I step inside raising an eyebrow at her, but I don’t look up, I can’t. The thump is louder, her proximity is suffocating. We don’t touch as I speak. “You don’t want me here?” 

She shakes her head, hopeless eyes fail to find anything they’re looking for. Slumped shoulders give way and she wraps her arms around me bringing our bodies together. Her hands slide over my wet shirt, catching as it clings to my body. She kisses down my jaw until her lips find mine. She captures me, right then, consuming me with her kisses. Our lips never fumble, maybe frustrated we can never get close enough, but they’re sure kisses that designate what we are, for the briefest moment. 

We’re this, right here, right now. 

A three AM text and no questions, only mumbled words of acceptance. 

I’m here for something and she knows it, her mouth finds mine again fisting her hands in my t-shirt, pulling me into her. We stumble, the wall meets her back and I’m dying, falling, soaring into the high only she can give me. I close my eyes and ignore the thump in my chest, ignore the fact that’s she’s never gonna love me the way I love her.

It’s just not going to happen. 

Ever.

Stop beating. Stop believing in anything but never.

The moment her tongue meets mine, I can’t breathe again. I’m screaming in pain that she can’t see what she does to me, how she makes me feel.

Excerpt from Forever Light

I push everything out of my mind and move with determination. It has to be this way. It’s for the best. I throw everything that’s left of me into soul-searing sex between us. My movements becoming harder, faster, my left arm wrapped around her waist, my right hand on her ass moving her against me. Macy’s panting and gently biting down on my neck and it only fuels my fire and sends me over the fucking edge. Macy’s body tightens around me and I push harder into her chasing my own orgasm, praying she’s close because I’m not lasting. 

“Oh Landon,” she cries out. Her body goes limp in my arms as I continue to drive into her. It starts out low in my stomach building rapidly and then it hits like a freight train. 

“Damn,” I grind out still pumping in and out of her slowly as my release hits. 

I rest my head on her shoulder and it’s then that I realize she’s crying. 

Shit. Was I too rough? 

Did I hurt her? 

No, that’s all I’ve ever done is hurt her. This is more. This is her knowing there’s no chance for us. Not when I can’t give myself to her in the ways she needs. I lift her chin and a tear slips down her cheek. Her next words break that last piece that was holding me together. 

“You stole my heartbeat.” I blink, pulling away from her, and the words come out before I can stop them. 

“I can’t steal something you give to me over and over again to destroy."

A stay-at-home mom, Chelsea spends her days drinking entirely too much caffeine, baking sugar-sweet treats she never eats, playing on Pinterest, and jotting down notes for her novels. A dreamer at heart, she’s been creating happily-ever-afters. She’s a lover, a writer, a dreamer, would rather type than speak, wants to remember everything, loves lots of ice in her drinks, and is slightly introverted.

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USA TODAY bestselling author Megan Smith is a New Jersey native managing purchasing for an award-winning business IT and software development firm - and by night creating the memorable characters her fans have grown to adore. Smith's The Love Series introduces readers to MacKenzie Cahill - a hopeful young woman who experiences adversity, challenges and the bittersweet triumph of true, authentic love.

Smith is a wife and mother, who makes time for her family, professional life and the creation of the Cahill's world. Fans of The Love Series - Trying Not To Love You, Easy To Love You, Hard To Love You - are captivated by relationships, special bonds and family ties pervasive in Smith's emotional, energized and engaging work. Smith is also the author of the 2014 releases, Let Me Love You - continuations of The Love Series, Finding Us (Finding Series) and a few top secret projects.

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REVIEW:
Oh goodness. I don't know what to say. These books were exceptional!! I loved them both. it was so uniquely done. I loved how they combined the stories and yet we got a perspective from all four characters. It wasn't a retelling of the same story but we were able to get the full story. It was wonderful. I truly enjoyed both and the characters were amazing. While it touched on dark subject matter they were still able to add a lightness to it that allowed us to laugh and love. Truly amazing.