Release Day Event- Change of Heart by S.E. Edwards! Excerpt and Giveaway!

 

 

Title: Change of Heart

Author: S.E Edwards

Age Group: New Adult

Release Date: May 19th

Release Day Event Organized by: The Book Enthusiast

 

Synopsis:

 

Persevere.

That's how I've gotten through nineteen years of life. It's what I do every single day—no matter how badly the odds are stacked against me.

Persevere, and survive.

Those are my two guiding words. I never knew either of my parents. I have no family and no home. The only person I could ever rely on was myself. In this cruel world, that's about as much as I could ask for.

Love? Hah. Don't talk to me about love. I stopped believing in it the day my first boyfriend ripped out my heart three years ago.

That's why love is the last thing on my mind when I leave a packed college bar with a captivating stranger. Yet everything changes when I'm awakened in the middle of the night by a pounding at the door. Suddenly, an arrangement meant for just one night threatens to become something much deeper.

All expectations are thrown to the wind as I'm tangled in a dangerous world unlike anything I can believe. The man I met has secrets swirling around him like a dark cape. I'm about to become his biggest one...

 

Read an EXCERPT from Change of Heart...

 

Together, we stumble toward the elevator. Rich breaks away for a second to hit the button. The light doesn’t come on.

 

“Damn,” he growls, “it’s busted again.”

 

I’m one step ahead of him. I’d spotted the stairs when we entered. I grab his hand and pull him after me with no hesitation. I start up the cement stairwell, determined to get to his room as fast as possible.

 

“Penny, wait.”

 

I look back, confused. “What?”

 

A devilish smile plays on his lips. “Only this.” Without warning his hands wrap around my waist, and I’m  being lifted up as easily as if I were a doll. He turns to the side and presses my body against the wall, suspending me between him and the concrete.

 

His mouth crashes down on mine again. I curl my legs around his torso, locking my ankles together, and kiss him back with the passion reserved for a lover after ten long years apart. I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m getting even more turned on. Rich’s hands move down to grasp the outside of my thighs, and I moan into his kiss as the muscles of my core clench in sinful fashion. I want him so badly. If we don’t get somewhere private soon, I won’t be wholly opposed to jumping him in public.

 

I gasp as he steps away, freeing me from the wall. I start to fall, but one of his hands darts down to catch me just beneath the knees.  The other one cradles my shoulders. Before I know it, I’m slung across his   arms like a bride on her wedding night.

 

“I’ve always wanted to carry a girl up these stairs,” Rich admits.

 

I laugh, and wrap my arm around his neck. “Oh, you are just the best type of romantic.”

 

Four flights of stairs later, Rich pushes open the fire door to a dimly-lit hallway. He carries me down the hall and stops in front of an entrance on the right. He sets me down, then fishes around in his jeans for the key. When the door creaks open, he sweeps a hand out in front of him. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

 

I walk in, curious about his apartment. I tend to side with the camp of people who believe that a person’s living arrangements can reveal a lot about his personality. But, I don’t find much to work with here.

 

The apartment is sparse and dark. Pale moonlight filters in through the balcony window, shining down on the only piece of furniture present: a queen size mattress lying on the floor of the living room. The red brick walls are totally empty—no girly posters or other things I might expect in a bachelor’s apartment. There are no lamps, no chairs, no couches.

 

After a moment, I notice a second piece of furniture: a small, old-school CRT TV camped in one corner of the studio apartment.

 

Rich switches on the light. “So?” he asks, “what do you think?”

I walk past the entrance. There’s one hall leading away from the room. It is filled with brown cardboard boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. “Did you just move in or something?”

Rich laughs behind me. “Yeah, something like that. You want a drink?”

“A drink?” I say. “No, I—”
 

The words catch in my throat as he grabs my hips and spins me around. I had no idea he’d come so close. He’d moved from the door to me without making a sound. His fingers lock together against my lower back, and he tugs me into him, pressing my belly to his waist. I feel his growing erection right away, and a diabolical excitement builds inside me.

 

Nothing happens.

 

For a long moment, Richard just holds me like that, staring into my eyes as I’m left dangling off his arms. His irises are the color of sea mist. I’m hypnotized by the deep intensity I see brewing just beneath the surface. I have no doubt that that type of intensity is mirrored in my eyes.

 

Then, moving slowly, as if restraining himself, Richard lowers his mouth to cover mine. This time, his kiss is sweet and gentle. Subtle and caring. He explores my upper lip first, then traces the line going to the corner of my mouth. His lips form a perfect mold over mine.

 

I was wrong before. This is the kiss reserved for a lover you haven’t seen in ten years.

 

About the Author: 

I’m Scarlett Edwards. I’m a full-time student (2nd year, undergrad) and part-time writer. I hope to switch those around soon! Yours to Savor is the first full book I worked on. It went through six drafts, and took me ten months to complete. In the two months since getting it done, I finished two drafts of brand new stories. I’m getting faster. I love hearing from my readers. I love getting feedback about my books. I’m just getting started, and plan on doing this writing gig for a long, long time. Every review I get helps me write a little bit better.

I take inspiration from all the indie romance authors. Addison Moore, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover, Jessica Sorensen, and everyone else... you girls rock!

 

Connect with Scarlett on Goodreads.

 

A personal message from Scarlett...

"I love hearing from readers!  If you read my book and want to share your thoughts, good or bad, email me!  Scarlett@ScarlettEdwards.com.  I'll be sure to reply!! <3"

 

Purchase Change of Heart now!

 

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / Amazon CA

 

**Giveaway!**

 

Enter to win:

-1 of 2 $50 Visa Gift Card

-1 of 10 eBook copies of Change of Heart

-1 of 5 signed paperback copies of Change of Heart

 

Good luck!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

NEW RELEASE & GIVEAWAY! PICTURE PERFECT by Alessandra Thomas

Happy release day to Alessandra Thomas!! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of PICTURE PERFECT and you guys are definitely going to want to read this one! I loved it. Congratulations to Alessandra on her new release :) And here's all you need to know about this fantastic book and author! The Picture Perfect blog tour is also going on RIGHT NOW, so be sure to check out the links at the end of this post for some info :)

Picture Perfect

by Alessandra Thomas

★★★★

Synopsis:

Fashion design major Cat Mitchell has a closet full of gorgeous clothes - and not a single thing fits. After two years of runway modeling for easy cash, an accident shattered her lower leg bone and her self-esteem in just one swift fall. Ten months of no exercise, prescription steroids, comfort eating and yoga pants meant returning to campus as a size twelve instead of her former size two.


When her gorgeous long-time friend with benefits sees her for the first time after her accident and snubs her in front of all her friends, Cat’s self-image hits rock bottom. Her sorority sisters all insist that she looks gorgeous, but all Cat sees is the roll of her stomach when she sits down, or the dimpling at the back of her thighs that wasn't there last year. Cat’s therapist prescribes something radical to stop the downward spiral - nude modeling for a nearby college's human form drawing classes.


When Cat faces her fears and bares it all for the class, she realizes that she's posing naked in front the most gorgeous, buffest guy she's ever seen in her life. He asks her out after the class, and after one steamy night together, Cat's absolutely smitten.


Nate’s pretty close to perfect – he takes Cat rock climbing when he discovers that it makes her feel strong and becomes a great chef after he learns that the perfect pesto sauce makes her swoon. Cat starts to feel like her old self again - confident and beautiful - as long as Nate's around. Even when he discourages her from entering the Real Woman Project, a design competition for plus-sized apparel, she reasons that he's just trying to prevent old body image wounds from splitting wide open again.


But when Cat goes home with Nate for Thanksgiving, she discovers something shocking from his recent past that proves that he hasn’t always been so encouraging of women of all shapes and sizes. Cat has no idea what to think, but she does know one thing - this might destroy their relationship before it's even had a chance to get off the ground.


Before Cat can figure out whether the real Nate is the sensitive, adoring guy she fell in love with, or an undercover asshole, she'll have to finally feel comfortable in her own skin - even if it means leaving him forever.

(This book contains sex and adult language.)

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PICTURE PERFECT by Alessandra Thomas is a story about Cat, a college junior and and model who, after recovering from a horse riding accident and horrible injury, is left 60 lbs heavier and feeling insecure and out of place in her old life. After having a difficult time adjusting to her new size and feelings of depression, her therapist suggests that she pose nude for a human form class at a nearby college. This is where she meets Nate, an aspiring architect, who soon becomes the perfect person to finally make her see how beautiful she is, no matter what size she wears. There were several moments in book when I was afraid that she was using Nate as a crutch, which her therapist does point out to her, but then there were other times when their relationship just seemed normal and supportive, so I went back and forth with that a little. But as perfect as Nate seemed, he turned out to have an interesting past and some issues with body image as well. And Cat's perception of sweet, perfect Nate came crashing down big time. This little shocker definitely threw me for a loop and I was just as surprised and devastated as Cat to find out about Nate's not so "supportive" past.

As a bigger girl myself, I found Cat's thoughts, feelings of discomfort, and insecurities about her size to be very believable, although she really isn't that big at all. At her heaviest, she is actually at a normal, healthy weight. But I suppose after being a stick thin model, 180 can probably seem huge. And when your whole life and profession is based on how good you look in teeny tiny clothes, judging your appearance above everything else and constantly comparing yourself to others, then I can definitely see how it would be difficult for her to find her place again after her accident and weight gain.

The supporting characters were pretty great. Cat's friend Joey was supportive of her during her entire journey and an extremely good friend to her, always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on or a good pep talk. Of course Nate was wonderful, even despite his drama there at the end, and I loved everything about him. I really wish this novel would have been a little bit longer, I found myself wanting to read more about these characters. Overall, I think Picture Perfect is a very realistic story about a young woman with self esteem issues learning to love her body and, most importantly, love herself despite her body. I truly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this book! I can't wait to read more from this author! 4 STARS!

____________________________________________________________________

Alessandra Thomas on PICTURE PERFECT:

PICTURE PERFECT is about a girl who went from a size two to a size twelve in just under a year, and has some serious body image issues.

Yes. This book is about a girl who is size twelve and hates her body. She hates it so much that she tries to hide it, squeeze it into Spanx, cries over it, and emotionally eats up a storm. She hates it so much that she doesn’t believe her friends when they tell her how gorgeous she is. She hates it so much that she thinks no guy will ever want to have sex with her again.

Is Cat’s body image healthy? Lord in heaven, no.

Is Cat’s body image REAL? Yes.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever hated your body unreasonably.

Raise the other one if you’ve known someone who has hated her body unreasonably.

Yep. That’s what I thought. (Now do the Harlem Shake. You know you want to.)

Cat Mitchell, the protagonist of PICTURE PERFECT, is a freaking disaster. That’s what the book is about – her journey to becoming not-a-disaster. If Cat felt awesome about rolling out her new bangin bod all over campus, I’d be all, good for you, honey, but you make a damn boring story.

Are you a size twelve, and you love it? Good for you. Go on with your bad self. I’m a size sixteen, and while I have occasional moments of woe about a belly (or knee) roll, I’ll tell you right now, I’m freaking gorgeous. Not to mention that between the sheets, The Boy has nary a complaint. (*wink*)

Cat hates her size twelve body, but that doesn’t mean that I’m saying you should hate yours. In fact, what I want is for you to root for her to feel as good about herself as you do.

I’m so happy you like your body the way it is. I like it too. I think you’re DEAD SEXY, in fact. So you can bet that Cat Mitchell is gonna feel dead sexy by the end of the book, too. And no, it’s not the way you think.

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About the Author:

Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since she's not, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and girls falling in love and really living life for the first time. When she's not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.

Connect with Alessandra:

Twitter

Website/Blog

Goodreads

PICTURE PERFECT IS AVAILABLE NOW!

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

**GIVEAWAY**

Prizes:

- 2 signed copies of Picture Perfect

- 2 ebook copies of Picture Perfect

Enter below to win! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit these two awesome blogs,

they're the next stops on the Picture Perfect Blog Tour!

          

Blog Tour & Release Day Event Organized By:

Reviewed by Brittany