Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Cover Reveal- Out of Play by Nyrae Dawn & Jolene Perry

 
Out of Play
 
Blurb:
 
Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a problem.
Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—deserve to party,
right? Wrong. After taking a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the
hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll
have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon.
Though she has tons of scholarship offers, the last thing she wants is
to leave. Who'll take care of her absent-minded gramps? Not her mother,
who can’t even be bothered with the new tenants next door.

Penny’s too hung up on another guy to deal with Bishop’s crappy
attitude, and Bishop’s too busy
sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps. If
Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit
he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and
Bishop’s about to run out of time.
 
____________________________________________________________
 
About the Authors:
 
 
Nyrae Dawn
 
I am a compulsive reader and writer who loves YA fiction.

I love nothing more than writing about young adults. There is something so fresh and fun about it. You can pretty much always find me with a book in my hand or open document in front of me.
I live in Southern California with my husband and two children.
 
Contact Nyrae:
 
 
Jolene Perry
 
Jolene Perry
 
I wear juvenile T-shirts, worn-out chucks, and eat too much chocolate. I write. A lot. I make up words, drink Shirley Temples, and suffocate a little without my iPod.
 
Contact Jolene:
 
 
PRE-ORDER OUT OF PLAY ON B&N HERE
 
PRE-ORDER OUT OF PLAY ON AMAZON HERE
 
ADD OUT OF PLAY TO YOUR TBR LIST ON GOODREADS HERE
 
 

COVER REVEAL- WAIT FOR YOU by J. Lynn!

I cannot begin to tell you how HUGE a fan I am of Jennifer L. Armentrout (who also writes as J. Lynn)! I would go as far as to say I'm a bit obsessed with anything and everything she writes. The Lux Series and the Covenant Series are two of my absolute favorite series ever-- If you haven't read them, you need to ASAP. With that said, I am so very excited to be able to show you the cover for Jennifer's most recent book WAIT FOR YOU. This book sounds incredible and I can tell already that I will find a new book boyfriend in Cam. We should all know by now that she sure can write a good book boyfriend *swoon* I can't wait!! <3 So here we go...


What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

 

Excited? (I am!!) Ready to see the cover for
WAIT FOR YOU?

 
Holy alien babies, that cover is gorgeous, right?! I love it! And those reviews... her best work yet? That right there tells you this will be awesome sauce! *happy dance* :)
 
Synopsis:

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

 
 
About the Author:

 
J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet.
 
You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:



 
Yes, you read that correctly-- wait for you was released EARLY and is available NOW! Run. Don't walk. Go and grab your copy Now. Right now! I definitely stopped half way through posting this so I could run to Amazon and get mine! :)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Cover reveal! Emancipating Andie by Priscilla Glenn

BACK TO YOU was one of my absolute favorite books in 2012! I'm so very excited to show you the cover for Priscilla Glenn's new novel, EMANCIPATING ANDIE! What a pretty cover! Go ahead and put this on your TBR list because it sounds amazing!!

Title: Emancipating Andie
Author: Priscilla Glenn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Cover Designer: Okay Creations
Expected release: March 2013
Links to find the book:
Book Description:
Ever since the one time Andie Weber threw caution to the wind - and paid the price for it - she’s learned that it’s safer and smarter to live life playing by the rules. Now she’s got a great apartment, a steady job, and a wonderful boyfriend in Colin; he’s sweet, stable, and essentially perfect – except maybe for the fact that his best friend is Chase.

Chase McGuire lives his carefree, unstructured life strictly for himself. Dripping sarcasm and oozing wit, he refuses to censor his feelings or opinions for anyone, making no apologies for either and wearing his abrasiveness like a badge of honor. No one has ever gotten under Andie’s skin the way Chase does – and vice versa.

So when Andie and Chase find themselves forced to take a two-day road trip together, they are already dreading an inevitable all-out war. But as the trip progresses, and the undeniable friction that has always defined their relationship slowly begins to wear away their preconceived notions of each other, Andie and Chase discover they both have a lot to learn about life, courage, happiness, and the age-old battle between logic and love.
About the Author:
 

Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English Language Arts at the middle and high school levels for the past eleven years while moonlighting as a writer, mommy, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.
If you catch her when she's feeling sophisticated, she'll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she'll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry's, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.

Glenn is also the author of the contemporary romance/YA crossover BACK TO YOU.
PURCHASE BACK TO YOU:
Connect with Priscilla:

FREE!! Book Blast & Giveaway! Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk

 
Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk is FREE this week (2/25 to 3/1) on Amazon. Get your copy and find out how to enter to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card below.

Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk
August 20, 2012 

People get divorced, but that's what happens to other people. That's what Claire thought anyway, until her husband, Charlie, tells her he wants a divorce.

Claire has no choice but to take on the title of Divorced Woman, and face the question she has no idea how to answer. Who is Claire without Charlie? Her family believes her newly divorced woes can be cured by landing herself a boyfriend. With her dating dunce cap in hand, Claire stumbles her way through the foreign territory of online dating.

A teacher from hell, a softball coach, and a sap later, Claire proclaims herself the dating idiot she thought she was, and fears she's doomed to be a lonely, crazy cat lady. But an accidental run-in with an old acquaintance might change everything. What starts with comparing dating battle wounds over a cup of coffee, quickly turns into something Claire had given up on.

As Claire discovers maybe there is love after Charlie after all, Charlie realizes his mistake. He wants her back, and he'll do anything to prove it to her. Now Claire must choose who deserves her heart, and if she's really willing to give it away again.

About the author:
Darian Wilk was born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the younger of two children.  While still a toddler her family moved back to their home state of Michigan, where she still lives today. 

After high school Darian tried her hand at college, majoring in Nursing, while she worked as a Physical Therapy Technician.  "I loved my job, but I still couldn't picture doing it forever," she says now.  But before she finished her degree she became pregnant, and focused her attention on the challenges of being a single mother to her daughter.

In 2005, Darian married her best friend, Steve, whom she met and became close friends with several years earlier.  In their second year of marriage, Darian became pregnant with her son.  She worked on and off throughout her twenties as a Home Health Aid to the elderly, but preferred to stay home and raise her babies.

In 2007, her mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and Darian quit working to tend to her mom.  It was in those three years of taking care of her that Darian realized how precious, and short, life really is.  In her moms last year of life, she finally had the courage to pursue what her heart always secretly longed for; becoming a writer.  It was then that she started her debut novel, Love Unfinished, and continues her writing journey today.
 


Find out more at DarianWilk.weebly.com. 

Giveaway Details
One winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
Giveaway ends at midnight on March 1, 2013 EST.
Open internationally as long as you can use a Amazon.com gift card. 

This book blast and giveaway is hosted by Krazy Book Lady.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

COVER REVEAL & Excerpt! The Love Game by Emma Hart

I'm so excited to show you guys the cover for Emma Hart's new book, The Love Game! I was able to read and review Emma's novel, Never Forget (review will be posted for the blog tour, which will stop at Brittany Blabs Books on March 2!), which I really loved and this one sounds like it's going to be a fun read as well!

And here is the gorgeous cover!

 
Synopsis:
 
His challenge? Make her fall in love with him.

Her challenge? Play the player.

Until life changes the rules of the game.


Maddie Stevens hated Braden Carter on sight. Arrogant, egotistical, and the playboy of the University of California, Berkeley, he's everything her brother Pearce has taught her to despise. So why, when the girls challenge her to play the player, doesn't she say no? She doesn't know either.

Braden wanted fiery little Maddie the second he laid eyes on her - and he'd do anything to have her, hence why he's agreed to make her fall in love with him. After all, it's the only way he'll get what he wants. Sex.


But, as Braden discovers, there's more to the girl from Brooklyn than he ever imagined - and he can't help but care about the broken girl behind those pretty green eyes.


Maddie finds Braden isn't just a walking erection - he actually has feelings. He can be sweet, funny and his good looks don't exactly hurt. That means trouble - but when her brother Pearce turns up in Berkeley begging for her help, she realises Braden and Pearce aren't so alike anymore.

And maybe, just maybe, they're exactly what each other needs.
 
Excerpt:
 


He slides one of his arms around me and pulls me to him so my back is flush against his chest, both of our arms wrapping my stomach. “See? I've got you. It's fine, Angel.”
“This is crazy. Never again is Megan organizing a date.”
“Yeah, she got a good one with this.” He laughs again and I shake my head.
“No, no, she didn't. This is terrible.”
“Really? I would have thought that being up against me would be a good thing.”
“Maybe it would be if I could actually focus on the fact I'm pressed against your body.”
“Well, then.” He spins so he's in front of me, skating backwards.
“Braden, you can't see where we're going!”
“That's your job.”
“Oh my god.” I try looking over his shoulder but I can't. He's too tall, dammit. “You're too tall!”
“Then you just have to trust me.” His lips take mine in a searing kiss and I gasp inwardly, grabbing hold of him tightly. His hands find my waist and pull my hips against him, our speed slowing slightly. He goes to deepen the kiss, his tongue tracing between my lips, and I nip his bottom lip before I open to him. My fingers tangle in his hair as our tongues meet, starting an intricate dance of want.
For a second, I forget the game. I forget the fake relationship. I forget the fact I'm on roller-skates and Braden isn't-
“Oomph!” Braden grunts, hitting the floor. I laugh, rolling off him.
“I told you we didn't know where we were going!” I say through my laughter, blades of grass tickling my ears.
“Hey.” He rolls towards me, propping himself up on his elbow. His hair flops down towards my face, casting little shadows over us. “I totally knew where we were going until you distracted me.”
I distracted you? Oh no, mister. You kissed me, not the other way around.”
“And I didn't hear any complaints about that.”
“Maybe that's because there weren't any.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let's try again.”
__________________________________________________________________
 
THE LOVE GAME will be released March 29th!
 
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list HERE :)
 
And you can now purchase NEVER FORGET on Amazon HERE!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Review- Arouse by Nina Lane

 
★★★★★
Arouse (Spiral of Bliss, #1)
 
Synopsis:
 
"One day I'm going to touch you in a thousand different ways and show you how to touch me," he said.

And he did.

Struggling with a tormented past, undergraduate Olivia Winter once led a practical but isolated life. Then she met Professor Dean West, a brilliant scholar of medieval history who melted Liv's inhibitions and taught her the meaning of both love and erotic pleasure. But after three years of a blissful, lusty marriage, Liv and Dean now face a crisis that threatens everything they believe about each other...and sex might not be enough to save them.
__________________________________________________________________
 
It was a bit refreshing for me to read a book about a couple who is already married. So many books I've read share the story of how a couple comes together, how they overcome their issues and get their happily ever after-- but they always leave me wondering just what exactly happens AFTER, so I was excited to see what Arouse had in store. This was a truly lovely story about a happily married couple, Dean and Olivia, who each have difficult and complicated pasts, and how they deal with the problems they encounter in their marriage. A few obstacles and bad decisions leave them now trying to find their way back to each other.
 
The heart and soul poured into this book was ridiculous (in a great way!). I felt like I was right there with this couple the entire time. Feeling what they were feeling, wanting what they wanted. It was very beautifully written, I cried probably the entire time-- sometimes happy tears, often times not, but I loved every minute of it. It was wonderful to see a couple who truly love each other no matter what problems they face, and who are determined to fight for each other and their marriage. And I really did feel all of those conflicting emotions right along with the characters-- anger for what was done, shame for doing it, desperation in wanting to fix their problems but not knowing how, and then the love and devotion they had for each other despite it all. I mean, let me just say now that I'm in love with Dean. Oh my goodness, he is just amazing. *swoon* He has got to be the perfect mixture of sexy and protective and a little bit geeky. He's just wonderful. Liv sure is a lucky duck.
 
As much of an emotional and beautiful story this book was, there was still crazy amount of intense, steamy moments. Wow! These were probably some of the best romantic scenes I've ever read, they were so, so good. I absolutely adored this book, and if you're looking for a thought provoking, emotional read with tons of fan yourself sex scenes, look no further. As for the ending... a bit of a cliffhanger. Nothing to get really upset about, but it will definitely ensure that you'll be dying for the next book! Honestly, it was something that I expected to happen earlier in the book-- but since it didn't, I almost forgot all about it, and then BAM! So yeah, ALLURE (book two) needs to really hurry up and get here ;) Especially because of that little teaser we got at the end of this book. COAT. CLOSET. That is all. *gulp* I give this one 5 heart wrenching, emotional, arousing stars. Loved it! Go get it-- now!
 
"Liv," he said, his voice rough with tenderness, "you don't have to be afraid."
"Why not?"
"Because I'll slay monsters for you."
 
"You're so damn strong, Liv, and you don't even realize it. I'm the one who's always had to show people I'm successful, an achiever, the best at everything I did. I'm the one who's always been a goddamn egotist. A groveler. And you…you're the first person who's ever…Christ, Liv, sometimes the way you look at me makes me feel like I can hang the fucking moon."
"Because I've always believed you can."
 
"Since the day we met, I haven’t wanted anyone but you,” Dean says . My heart jumps a little.
“Never looked at another woman,” he continues. “Never thought about one. It’s always been you, Olivia.”

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

COVER REVEAL- Pretending He's Mine by Lauren Blakely

I am so excited to be participating in this cover reveal. I so enjoyed Lauren's first book, Caught Up In Us (You can view my review HERE) and I am really loving this cover! This novella sounds awesome & I can't wait to read it!! Also check out the giveaway at the end of this post!! There are 3 ebook copies of Pretending He's Mine to be won! ;)
 
Release Date: March 2, 2013
 
 
 
Blurb:

Once upon a time in New York City, there was a down-on-his-luck actor
named Reeve, who was talented and gorgeous in that dreamy, broody sort
of way that makes all the women swoon. But show biz is a rough biz –
he lost out on a part in a big film, and now his day job hours have
been cut too. What’s a handsome young thing in need of a role to do?

Enter Sutton Brenner. She’s sexy and shrewd and the most top-notch
casting director there is. She’s this close to landing a coveted gig
casting a film based on a best-selling mega-romance novel, but there’s
a catch. After one too many transgressions with lovely single ladies,
the film’s philandering producer has been put on a short leash by his
wife, who’s forbidden him from working with anyone unattached.

So the happily single Sutton strikes a pact with Reeve – play the role
of her fiancee until she closes the deal, and he’s guaranteed to get
an audition for the starring role in the film.

But as the two play pretend, the lines between make-believe and
matters of the heart start to blur. Especially after that hot night in
the balcony of the Broadway theater. And that scorching afternoon in
the stacks of the New York Public Library. Who’s playing who? Or is
someone else really the director in the secret affair of their lives?

PRETENDING HE’S MINE is a 30,000 word companion novella in the New
York Times and USA Today bestselling CAUGHT UP IN US series.

(It’s not necessary to have read CAUGHT UP IN US to enjoy PRETENDING HE’S MINE.
This is not a sequel. However, CAUGHT UP IN US fans should be pleased
to know that Jill has several scenes and that both Kat and Bryan
appear in a key scene in this novella! There will also be a bonus
scene from CAUGHT UP IN US never seen before included in the novella!)


Excerpt:





“You were all weird and awkward when I kissed you at your office,” he added.
 
“I’m sorry. I was just surprised.”

“I know. But we need to make sure you don’t jump the next time I kiss you.”

“We do?”

“Well that would give it away, wouldn’t it? You need to get used to
being kissed by me.”

“Okay,” she said with a business-like nod.

“That means we need to practice.”

“Practice kiss,” she said slowly, then nodded quickly. “Right. Of
course. Like a stage kiss. Like actors. So of course we’ll stage
kiss.”

She sounded chipper and cheery, as if she were trying to convince
herself. She seemed to need the convincing, so he went along with it.

“Think of this as a dress rehearsal. We’re prepping for the big kiss
scene that makes the audience swoon and totally believe we’re in love.
Got it?”
She nodded.
“Ready?”
“Right here in the dressing room?”
“What better place to rehearse a kiss than a dressing room?”
“Totally. Absolutely. Definitely.”

Reeve wondered how many more adverbs she’d need to utter before he
kissed her. Perhaps they were a sort of liquid courage. Either way, he
knew he had to lead. He suspected he had more experience with stage
kisses than she’d had.

So he looked at her, as if she were the woman he’d been dying to kiss
for years. She was his leading lady, she was the only woman he wanted.
She returned her gaze, and then it was as if a flame burst. Reeve
pictured her ravenous and greedy, wanting to be consumed with kisses,
and hands, and so much more. Her lips were parted slightly, and her
breathing had become…lustful. Maybe she was acting too. In that
moment, he didn’t care. He wanted to taste her lips, he wanted to feel
more of her beautiful body. There was something about her, maybe it
was the age difference, maybe it was the power play. But there was no
time for analysis because his head was turning cloudy with a need he
hadn’t had before. He wanted to do things to this woman. He wanted to
make her feel the way a good boyfriend would make her feel – desired,
wanted, craved. She deserved all that. He could give it to her now. He
could give it to her for a week.
___________________________________________________________

And here's another little teaser from the lovely Lauren Blakey! :)

He glanced back at the entrance to the box seats. The Pinkertons seemed long gone, there weren’t any other ushers nearby, and the closest patrons... were in the next box over, a low wall between them. So he went for it. He placed one hand on her opposite cheek and shifted her face toward him, then moved his other hand to her thigh. She looked at him, and even in the dark of the theater, he could read those blue eyes, he could tell they were trying so hard to resist, but yet not wanting to resist in the least. Hell, he didn’t either. He moved his thumb along her cheek, tracing a line to her lips. Then over her lower lip, and she nipped playfully at the pad of his thumb. He smiled in the dark, as he outlined her mouth, then moved down to her neck, as if he were imprinting the feel of her throat, the heat from her skin, the way her body seemed to pulse toward him with every touch. She practically radiated the words kiss me and so he took the liberty to do just that. It was the barest of kisses, the kind that signals the beginning of something.

As he savored the cherry taste of her mouth, he played with the top of her stockings, slipping a finger along the band that held them in place. Sutton seemed to like him there.
 
ADD PRETENDING HE'S MINE TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR LIST HERE!
 
Connect with Lauren Blakely:
 
 
 



Monday, February 18, 2013

Promotion, Excerpt & GIVEAWAY- Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AT THE END OF THIS POST!
GIVEAWAY RUNS FROM 2/18- 2/26
PRIZE- ONE EBOOK COPY OF THE BOYS OF SUMMER!
OPEN INTERNATIONALLY
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON 2/27- GOOD LUCK!

For those who haven't had a chance to read THE BOYS OF SUMMER by C.J. Duggan, here is everything you need to know about this book. You can find my 5 star review HERE! I absolutely adore this book and definitely recommend it! First of all, this cover is gorgeous! It's currently only $3.99 for kindle, so everyone just run on over to Amazon and pick it up! Seriously, read the excerpts-- they have me all kinds of excited to read this. It's been on my TBR list, but you I'm sure you all know how hard it is to keep up with those! Ok, so here's all the info you need on this book and the author! Enjoy :)
 
Title: The Boys of Summer
Author: C.J.Duggan
Release date: December 17th 2012
Genre: Romance
Age Group: New Adult




Book Description:
It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’.Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.
Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.
To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.
How did she let her friends talk her into working?
After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.
All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.
It will be a summer she will always remember.
Warning: sexual references and occasional course language.
______________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 
C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.
The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.
For more on C.J and ‘The Summer Series’, visit www.cjdugganbooks.com
CONNECT WITH C.J DUGGAN:
______________________________________________________________
Excerpt 1 from THE BOYS OF SUMMER:
“Don’t you dare.” I grabbed his arm, pulling him backwards. His eyes darted to where my hand rested on him. I didn’t move my hand, I couldn’t physically bring myself to break the contact; all of a sudden there were no smiles, no jokes, just him and me and our space on the couch. I could only hear the music and be aware of the heat of his skin and the rapid rise and fall of my chest in this moment.
The only thing that snapped me out of my daze was Toby’s words which seemed low and raspy.
Is Adam your boyfriend?” His gaze flicked over my face as he waited for my answer. My mouth gaped open; I couldn’t hide the fact I was dumbfounded by the question.
I blinked quickly and took my hand from his arm. I struggled to construct a legible sentence.
“Oh – um, no, we’re just friends, it’s not like that.”
His stony expression didn’t falter, didn’t reveal any kind of emotion. He was so hard to read, and I wanted to read him so badly. He gave a small nod and handed me the CD cover.
“Better go and make sure these guys aren’t cheating.” And without another word, he got up and headed towards the pool table.
_______________________________________________________________________
Excerpt 2 from THE BOYS OF SUMMER:
Moon rays filtered through the windshield, giving the cabin an otherworldly glow.
Toby’s perfect teeth were illuminated when he smiled. “You know, you are the worst winner!” He shook his head. “Ever since you won the bet, you’ve been apologising. Just go with it, enjoy it, because I assure you, next time …” - he leaned closer - “… you will not be the winner.” He pulled back, smug.
I curved a brow. “Next time?”
He nodded. “I fully intend to redeem myself.”
Want a chance to rebuild your shattered ego, do you? I bet you’re itching to fix my bike so you can be rid of me once and for all.” I shouldered him gently, teasing him as I would Adam. And then I realised what I had done; I had treated him like my friends. He looked down at his shoulder, then up at me. His eyes shadowed with untold meanings that I couldn’t read.
What if I didn’t want to fix your bike?” he said in all seriousness.
Why, is my company so stimulating that you can’t bear the thought of being without me?” I teased nervously.
I was aiming for light and airy, but something must have gone wrong with my delivery because Toby’s face went blank. He looked out into the lights of Onslow, ran his tongue over his bottom lip and sighed.
_______________________________________________________________________
C.J.'s Inspiration for THE BOYS OF SUMMER:
It was something that has been churning in my mind since I was a little girl, even if it was something no more mapped out than a group of friends hanging lakeside over a summer. It was an idea that has manifested into an entire world and I felt that I owed it to that eleven-year-old little me to develop it into a story. I know I was eleven because I had found an old exercise book with the story plotted out in my child-like handwriting and I could seldom believe it was something that had been swimming around in my subconscious for so long. It fell perfectly in line with me doing NaNo that year (National Novel Writing Month) and that was that, in one month I smashed out the bones of ‘The Boys of Summer’ (TBoS). In writing TBoS I really wanted to capture the essence of growing up in Australia. I set it in a small fictional lake side town in the 90’s to give it a certain flavor and provide a rich setting for a coming of age story, it is an absolute labor of love.
_______________________________________________________________________
BUY THE BOYS OF SUMMER:



____________________________________________________________________






**GIVEAWAY!**
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