Saturday 26 July 2014

Book Review: Tangled by Emma Chase


Format: Ebook
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed? He’ll tell you he has the flu.But we all know that’s not really true.Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything - or anyone - derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating. Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life? Can Drew Evans win at love?  


This review going to be easy-peasy to write because I absolutely adored this book. So, so much! I usually do a favourite quote towards the end of my review but, seriously, I could not pick just one. So I'm going to pepper them through the review - there still won't be enough because literally every single line was gold!

First of all - the cover of this book is fab. I don't need to explain why, just look at it.
The characters were fantastic. I easily invested in the lives of Drew and Kate and got sucked into feeling how they felt and seeing what they saw. Of course, the constant imagery from Drew's narration helped in that aspect. I loved how he would stop the story for a second, as if he were a real person recounting a story to a friend, and he would either give us some kind of crackpot analogy that somehow (once he finished the analogy) would connect with what we were about to read. He also appears to have a real vendetta against Disney princesses, I loved reading those parts and genuinely laughing out loud.

“For God's sake, don't let her watch Cinderella. What kind of example is that? A mindless twit who can't even remember where she left her damn shoe, so she has to wait for some douchebag in tights to bring it to her? Give me a frigging break!” 

Basically, Drew was bloody hilarious. Which makes Emma Chase hilarious because... well she wrote his lines. I usually don't like it when a book is completely in the male protagonist's POV but this story may just have changed my mind completely. It was enlightening to see how guys really think. For one; I didn't know guys talked to eachother about sex, I mean yeah they may mention that they hooked up with someone but other than that I thought they kind of just grunted at each other and did that weird man-hug-pat-on-the-back thing.

“Newsflash, ladies: We can’t read your thoughts. And frankly, I’m not entirely sure I’d want to. The female mind is a scary place to be.” 

I always love the whole chase part of the story. It's more exciting and when the two finally get together I'd prefer for that to be close to the end, in the last quarter of the story, because if your story's plot is mainly about these two characters trying to fight their attraction to each other the story is pretty much over the second they're together. They got what the wanted, then there may be an epilogue, but if your story is going to have another 10 chapters whilst they're together I'm gonna get bored very quickly.

“Old women have a thing for me. And I don't mean a pinch-my-cheek, pat-my-head kind of thing. I mean a grab-my-ass, rub-my-junk, why-don't-you-push-my-wheelchair-into-the-broom-closet-so-we-can-get-nasty kind of thing.

It's f*cking disturbing.” 

Tangled made me wait till the last second to see Drew get Kate and I loved that. The last quarter of the book was my favourite, the whole challenge that Drew took on and him trying to 'woo' her was hilarious. A thousand balloons, a skywriter, dozens and dozens of roses and a three-man band who followed her everywhere she went at work. I don't think I've ever laughed so much whilst reading!

“F*ck you!” 
She stalks back around my desk toward the door. 
“Here? Now?” I look up at the ceiling, like I’m debating the prospect. “Well…okay. But be gentle. My couch is a virgin.” 

I have an endless number of favourite scenes but there is one ULTIMATE favourite. The scene where Drew's 4-year-old niece repeats a word she heard him say... I'll just share the entire scene with you:

"We eat in silence for a few minutes, and then Alexandra says, “That reminds me. Matthew, could you escort me to a charity dinner the second Saturday in December? Steven is going to be out of town.” She looks toward me. “I would ask my darling brother to do it, but we all know he spends his Saturday nights with the city slu—” she glances at her daughter “—undesirables.”

Before Matthew can answer, Mackenzie puts her two cents in. “I don’t think Uncle Matthew can come, Momma. He been too busy bein’ pussy whipped. Wha’s pussy whipped, Daddy?”

As soon as the words leave her angelic little lips, a horrendous chain reaction is set off:

Matthew chokes on the black olive in his mouth, which flies out and nails Steven right in the eye.

Steven doubles over, holding his eye and yelling, “I’m hit! I’m hit!” and then goes on about how the salt from the olive juice is eating away at his cornea.

My father starts coughing. George stands up and begins pounding on his back while asking no one in particular if he should perform the Heimlich.

Estelle knocks over her glass of red wine, which quickly seeps into my mother’s lace tablecloth. She makes no move to clean up the mess, but instead chants, “Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.”

My mother runs around the dining room like a chicken with its head cut off, searching for non-cloth napkins to wipe up the stain, all the while assuring Estelle that everything’s fine.

And Frank…well…Frank just keeps eating."

My favourite scene in the history of forever.

And that, ladies and gents, is why Mackenzie was my favourite character in this book. She was just a brilliant idea and amazingly fun to read about. I love how she was so innocent yet said the best things (and most traumatising for her mother). When Drew stuck his middle finger up at Matthew, Mackenzie tried to copy him so instead he showed her Spock’s Vulcan salute.

THAT'S ANOTHER THING - the scenes with Drew and Mackenzie were so damn adorable. Guys who are good with children are my all time weakness.

“Mackenzie raises her hand proudly. “I have a bagina.” 
I smirk. “Yes, you do sweetheart. And someday, it’s gonna help you rule the world.” 

There are sex scenes in this book and they were well done - not tacky and I didn't cringe once (which is a record). I definitely recommend this book to anyone over 18, there are many, many swear words and quite a lot of adult content too. I enjoyed it thoroughly and can't wait to read the next book! There were so many quotes I loved, you should read the book just for the quality humor:D

Stacking The Shelves #4


All the books I got this week were given to me in exchange for reviews; thank you so much to Orion books!:)







Friday 25 July 2014

Authors Who Deserve More Recognition #5


I sat thinking about this one for ages and then it clicked... Natasha Boyd!

So I asked for a review copy of her book, Eversea and it was AHHHH-MAZING. You should definitely check it out if you haven't already. She's such a talented author with the potential to go so far if only more people paid attention to her books. I'm getting around to reading the second book and I cannot wait; Jack Eversea stole my heart. I definitely had a new book boyfriend after reading this book!

I really wish the covers for the UK were the same as the US ones because those are so much more relevant to the story and incredibly beautiful! I adored the book nonetheless.

Here are all the links you need to check her out:

Wednesday 23 July 2014

If I Stay - Trailer #2



I've watched the first trailer a bazillion times and I know, for sure, I'm gonna be a mess whilst watching this movie. I really liked the book but by the end I was sobbing and over thinking the meaning of everything this story brought up for me.

This trailer shows a lot more of the movie but it's always Adam's little speech at the end that hits me right in the feels every damn time!

Who's excited for the 22nd of August?! Do you think they're going to stay close to the book?

Tuesday 22 July 2014

I'm Here For You - A Little Reminder

Okay, I don't usually do these sorts of posts but I just got thinking about how happy I've become in the last year or so. Long story short; I left people behind who didn't deserve the title of 'friend' and I got a lovely job that has sky-rocketed my confidence. It's still not 100% but if you'd seen me when I first started, you'd know just from one look that I had hit rock bottom.

In other words, I understand how crap life can be. I've had a lot of things happen to me in the past that have completely wrecked my self confidence, my esteem and shattered my heart.
I am in NO WAY saying I have it the worst because I know for a fact that there are many others who have it a helluva lot worse than I did. That fact alone made me want to make this post, so I can tell every single one of you, whether you're young or old, boy or girl, that doesn't matter to me. Everyone needs someone to talk to at one time or another and, it may sound strange, but sometimes venting to someone you barely know can lift a massive weight off your shoulders.

See, you can tell someone you're close to. Absolutely, those people care about you to no end. You can talk to your best friend or your parents about something, but sometimes you know they're just trying to make you feel better by lying to you. They think they're doing whats best for you but you don't feel any better. I know from experience that sometimes you can feel so unbelievably rubbish and tired and you just want someone to talk to - someone who doesn't know you, someone who has no reason to be biased because they don't know about you, someone who you can rant to and it will 100% stay between you and this stranger.

I try to talk to a lot of you guys in the book blogging/bookworm community but it's impossible to meet you all and get to know every single one of you.

So... I just wanted to say that if any of you, whether we've spoken before or not, can speak to me about anything and everything. If you want to fangirl about books and fictional characters with me or you're having trouble with people at school or your parents are fighting and you're confused, you can always send me a message. Shoot me an email or even a DM over Twitter, it doesn't matter. I'll get back to you in no time at all and every single word that you send me is confidential, just between me and you. I enjoy helping people, I want everyone to have happiness and if I can help you even a tiny, little, minute bit then I'll be thrilled!

In conclusion; you don't have to go through anything alone. I'm sure many people agree with me on this one, this community right here is so kind and the people in it are as lovely as can be... None of them are going to turn you away if you tell them you have something on your mind. And I sure as hell wont!

I love all of you guys, everyone who has followed my blog, recommended books to me on Goodreads, fangirled with me over swoon-worthy fictional guys - all of you have been so kind to me. I want to return the favor.

My email address is enchantedrosebooks@hotmail.com
My Twitter is @CosyUpWithBooks

I hope this post helps someone.

Stay lovely, Amber x

Waiting On Wednesday #2


From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.


I think I did a post about this yesterday - maybe the day before - but this is the book I am most looking forward to, eek! Isla and the Happily Ever After is the third (and final, I believe) book in the Anna and the French Kiss series. I've only read the first book but I need to buy the second because I honestly loved everything about Anna's story!

Release date is August 14th :D

Top Ten Tuesday #2



This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. If you would like to participate then simply follow the link to their blog!

This week's TTT is the top 10 characters I would want with me on a deserted island whether it be for their skills, company or just because I'd need a little eye-candy;)


1. Daemon from the Lux series because... well he's basically a sexy light bulb, right? Plus he's a pretty kick ass fighter!



2. From the same series the next person I would want on a deserted island with me would be Katy. She's a book blogger after all and I just know we'd be fast friends and we could fangirl about books to make us forget the fact that we're living in an episode of Lost.



3. The next one should be pretty self-explanatory; Harry Potter. I mean the boy is a WIZARD, he can either get us the hell off the island OR even better, we can stay on the deserted island and he can use magic to make sure we have food and water and entertainment and whatever else we need. Being stranded on an island doesn't sound too bad most days!



4. Simon because he's so adorably geeky and damn loyal! I just think he'd be the perfect company. He's currently my favourite character in The Mortal Instruments series because he seems to be able to keep a clear head and not whine every two seconds about something mundane.



5. Those of you who know me know I adore everything about fallen angels, I find the myths and stories fascinating so Patch from Hush Hush (book 1) would be the perfect companion. He's sexy as all hell, (get it *snorts*), he's a fallen angel turned guardian angel and I would be able to listen to his stories for hours without tiring once.



6. Emma from Of Poseidon would be an awesome person to be put on a deserted island with. She's a freaking fish! I don't know what she could bring skills wise... but I loved reading about her and her sense of humor is an exact replica of my own. I know we'd get along!



7. Etienne St. Clair. He's a British boy with a French name and I was moping for days after I finished Anna and the French Kiss because he's so damn perfect!! He's just gonna be there to keep my company, I don't think he'd be able to offer much else... I'm too shallow to care *oops*.



8. Oh my oh my, when I read Wicked Games by Jilly Myles I fell in love with Dean Woodall. He'd be good to have around a deserted island for a number of reasons; he competed in a reality TV show... about surviving on a deserted island. He's damn hot and he snuggles so... he's basically all I need for survival wrapped into one gorgeous package.



9. Magnus from The Mortal Instruments series because well... he's damn awesome. I wouldn't mind listening to a Warlock's stories!



10. Last but not least is the lovely Dee Black from the Lux series. So basically, I've now mentioned all the main characters from those books. THEY'RE JUST THAT GOOD.


Okay so most of these people would not physically help me on a deserted island. I went more for the company side of things, but ya know.

Monday 21 July 2014

Happy Birthday Week to The Page Girls!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK, THE PAGE GIRLS! 
Before we get into the wonderful things they have planned for the next five days I just wanted to thank Cecily from The Page Girls for asking me to help her celebrate this event. I've been speaking to her on Twitter and through email, fangirling about books and just generally chatting. She also answered any questions I had about this (which were many) with the patience of a saint. So, without further ado... Let's help The Page Girls celebrate!

Who are The Page Girls?

I'm sure many of you know of this page and all it's fabulousness but for those who haven't had the pleasure; The Page Girls (www.thepagegirls.com) is a new online mag with an emphasis on books, cocktails, and female friendships. Each week, they publish a themed issue containing short stories, book reviews, personal and funny essays, videos, cocktail recipes, and more. Some sample issues include The Craziest Thing I Did For Love and LYLAS (Love You Like a Sister).

Sign up for The Page Girls’ weekly newsletter to get notified about new issues, and be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.


From July 21-25, The Page Girls is celebrating its first official “birthday week,” which means a giveaway every day plus other goodies. 


Sounds awesome, right?!

So, let's kick off the week with a giveaway! Remember; the more entries you have the more chance you have of winning some of those awesome prizes. 

Rules
  • Do not cheat. I will be checking all of the entries!
  • Please check you're sending the right information, it would suck if you won and I didn't have the right information to contact you.
  • Void where prohibited by law.
  • This giveaway is both international and US only. (Read below!)
The Page Girls have kindly given me 1 eBook copy of Normal is the Watchword and two sets of their very own personalised coasters which look great! The eBook is the first prize and an international giveaway: 


There are days that you can't believe, and then there days that are unbelievable.

Juniper has been on the edge of social circles all her life, skirting the line between being a normal teenage girl and an all-too-aware young adult. Always armed with a camera, Juni expresses herself through her photos, with her current favorite subjects being Carrie, her best friend, and Darius, a mysteriously charming boy on the soccer team.

When she accidentally stumbles across something that wasn't meant to be photographed, her once somewhat normal life is suddenly ripped from her. Now, fitting in with the crowd is a matter of survival.

And when Carrie goes missing, Juni turns to Darius for help. But as they grow closer, a bigger mystery starts to unfold - one involving conspiracy, the paranormal, and an impending war for the souls of everyone she knows.


And the sets of coasters will be given to 2 runner ups but these are only for US residents.




Thank you for reading and good luck!:)

Sunday 20 July 2014

Book Review: Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.


Starting reviews is always a little difficult for me and this one is no exception. So... Let's start with the cover and how much I bloody love it. I mean, look at it! The background is insane and the male model on the front is exactly what I imagine Daemon to look like. Pepe Toth was the perfect choice for the cover, plus he's super insanely attractive. I find the cover a little haunting with the murky colour, smoky background and Daemon's stunning green eyes which are represented really well - exactly how I saw him in the book.

I love it when the guy in the book makes me swoon and speeds up my heartbeat because it helps me invest in the story and in the female protagonist's feelings. Daemon, ugh. He was simply perfect, cocky and a little to confident in himself but I loved reading about him and Katy and their (extremely slow) developing relationship. Daemon was hot... and not just because he was basically a giant light bulb. LOOK. AT. HIM.



I love, love, loved the three main characters, especially Katy. The main reason I identified with her so much was because she was a book blogger and a lot of her thoughts matched my own internal dialogue. I was surprised every time she brought up Waiting on Wednesday or how it pained her to write a one star review. She was so relateable, not only because of the above reason but she was a lovely character to read about and I liked watching her develop as a person throughout the story. Daemon, as I've mentioned above, was swoon-worthy and some of the things he'd say to Katy, well insinuate is a better word, would get me a little hot under the collar. AND THE ENDING OF THIS BOOK.. My oh my I can't wait to see how this little challenge plays out. *Claps hands excitedly* That kind of leads onto the next thing I loved about Katy's character; she didn't give into Daemon. Sure, she slipped once but as a whole she stayed true to herself and didn't give into him even when he said he wanted her. There was too much doubt for Katy and lot of girls would just throw caution to the wind and be done with it but not her! We ended up only getting one or two kisses but, as most of you know by now from my other reviews, I love it when the tension is dragged out to the point where I'm gonna explode with all the feels!

“Beautiful face. Beautiful body. Horrible attitude. It was the holy trinity of hot boys.” You sure as hell hit the nail on the head with that one, Jennifer!

Dee was an awesome character too. She brought an excitable quality to the story, wherever she popped up she'd always bring a smile and I think she had a part in making Katy who she was by the end of the book. From the get go Dee tried to make Katy feel like she had a friend and when Dee nervously said that she thought of Katy as her best friend my heart melted just a little. She could be nervous, bouncy, excited, extremely happy and kick ass all in one go... She could also eat for an entire army. *Cough* me *cough*.

Now, this may seem like a con but it's not, trust me. So, the twists in the story weren't realistic because, come on, they're alien problems but they weren't incredibly, unbelievably dramatic either. Everything that happened made perfect sense and there was always a reason behind all the plot twists. I find in paranormal novels, the problems are very hyped up and filled to the brim with useless drama, not all, just some. Obsidian wasn't like that, as I explained above.

As with all Jennifer Armentrout books, the writing was magnificent (and I don't use that word a lot) and flowed beautifully from scene to scene. I had a clear image in my head and the characters weren't just figures with blurry faces.

I read something I didn't read the first time around; the bonus scenes at the end. It was really nice to see Daemon's side of things. A lot of the time it seemed that Katy's feelings were one sided, I could tell he lusted after her but after reading some of the scenes from Daemon's point of view I can see it wasn't so one sided. He was just better at hiding his feelings than she was.

Now for the cons... THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS BOOK! It was perfect, perfect, perfect.

Character development was subtle but after making my notes before this review I realised there was a lot more than I thought! Katy developed a kick ass fighting streak. She put Dee and Daemon and even the triplets before herself when she led Baruck away from them and put herself in danger to save the others even though she only likes one of them all the time. Daemon stayed the same but hey, I'm not complaining. He's sexy as hell.
We got to see both sides of the lovely Dee; the badass fighter and the excitable girl who yearns for a normal life, one where she has a human best friend and isn't expected to find another Luxen to be with forever.

I liked reading this again and picking up stuff I missed the first time around. Now I'm a book blogger I understand what YA is and what she was talking about when she mentioned posts for her blog. I remember the first time I read this book and thinking 'wtf is ya?' Now it's all so clear and so much more relateable!

Saturday 19 July 2014

Stacking The Shelves #3


I'm so excited about the books I got this week and even more excited about next weeks. By then I'll have received my new books from Bookbridgr after they announced that Hodder and Stoughton were joining the publishers team - that means LOADS of new books:D 
I went a little book-requesting crazy and have had to ban myself for a little while. Oops.

Here are the books I got this week!





The Book of Life cover is amazing! It's also a super heavy book and I can't wait to read it!


Friday 18 July 2014

Book Review: Eversea by Natasha Boyd


Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

An orphaned, small-town, southern girl, held hostage by responsibility and self-doubt.

A Hollywood A-list mega-star, on the run from his latest scandal and with everything to lose. 

A chance encounter that leads to an unlikely arrangement and epic love affair that will change them both forever. 

When his co-star and real-life girlfriend is caught cheating on him with her new director, A-list hottie, Jack Eversea, finds himself in sleepy Butler Cove, South Carolina. Jack hopes the sultry southern heat in this tiny coastal Lowcountry town will hide him not only from the tabloids and his cheating girlfriend, but his increasingly vapid life and the people who run it. He doesn’t count on meeting Keri Ann Butler. 

Keri Ann has relied on herself so long, dealing with her family’s death and the responsibilities of keeping up her family's historic mansion, that boys and certainly the meager offering of eligible boys in Butler Cove, have never figured into her equation. But fate has other plans. Suddenly face to face with the man who played the movie role of her favorite fictional character, Jack has Keri Ann yearning for everything she has previously avoided ... and Jack must decide whether this funny, sassy girl is worth changing his life for, before his mistakes catch up to him.

Upon finding this book on Bookbridgr I did something very unlike me - I judged it by it's cover. Being in the UK I saw the second cover pictured above and instantly requested a review copy without reading what it was about. The cover was so lovely and I always read the synopsis before requesting or buying books because I like to know I'm not wasting my time or money. I'm not sure what exactly compelled me to ask for this book without even seeing if I'd like it - I just did. Then I got it in the post a couple of days later and oh boy am I glad I picked this one up!

As I mentioned above the covers are beautiful - both of them but I especially like the first cover pictured and once you read the book (which you totally should!) you'll understand that the picture perfectly represents the book. I love it when this happens, when the cover of a book is secretly relative to the story. I like the other cover too, this was the one I received, but the alternative actually captures some of the story.

For me, the writing flowed really well. Natasha was able to create scenes that seamlessly blended together even when the story moved to another setting, this is a skill all authors should adapt and use to their full advantage as it creates a much better feel and doesn't make it seem all rushed.
Although this was a pretty quick and easy read I enjoyed it nonetheless. It wasn't that it was short of drama because LEMME TELL YOU, there was plenty of drama, it was one of those books that you can read in one sitting because it totally captures you in the story and the characters and it's a lovely escape from the real world. Oh and the whole relationship between Jack and Keri Ann was bloody adorable although closer to the end I wanted to smack them both upside the head and tell them to sort their sh** out! Then again, the story wasn't rushed and the inevitable was dragged out, in a good way of course. No one likes having the relationship happen straight away. Sometimes the chase is the best part! I know it usually is for me.

Now for the characters; Keri Ann. I loved her as a character, she seemed so real and relateable. I loved how she thought that reading too many romance novels had given her high expectations in men and here she was with that expectation standing right in front of her in the form of Jack Eversea. It gives a girl a little hope!
Jack Eversea, sigh, Jack was perfect in every way. He was courteous, swoon-worthy and a little cocky - which is okay with me. And he rides a motorcycle. I have a thing for attractive guys who ride motorcycles, who doesn't?!

The problems and situations were realistic which is a breath of fresh air. A lot of romance novels include a series of insanely melodramatic problems that I find myself being able to solve easily, yet the characters take ages to sort themselves out!

I will definitely be reading the next book which I actually received in the post a couple of days ago *eep*

Oh and before I go; LOOK AT THIS LITTLE GUY. He welcomes new chapters and breaks in the writing and I loved seeing him whenever he popped up:)


*This book was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review*

Cover Reveal: Shameless by Nina Lemay (GIVEAWAY)



Release date: August 18th 2014


Synopsis via Goodreads:




~New Adult Contemporary Romance -- recommended for mature readers~





Girls like me don’t get happy endings.


I know what I am. At worst a cliché, at best a cautionary tale. I put an international border between me and my past, only to wind up working in a low-end titty bar. Even my excuse is as lame as it gets: I’m paying for college, getting my art degree from Montreal’s most prestigious school. Although some days it becomes confusing: am I just a student who moonlights as a stripper, or a stripper who masquerades as a student?


But the inevitable happens and my two lives collide. And now there’s one other person who knows both the quiet, antisocial Hannah and the sensual, shameless Alicia. One person who keeps my secret.


He’s beautiful, he’s sophisticated. He comes from the other side of life, the one where I’m not wanted or accepted. But he calls me la petite Américaine, and his hot, hot hands on my skin promise me things I long ago gave up on.



The problem? He teaches my Classic Photography class.



This is a standalone novel, no series, no cliffhanger.






Nina
Lemay
About the Author


Nina Lemay is a YA writer by day and author of sinfully twisted New Adult…well, also by day. She loves all things dark and edgy and never tires of tormenting her characters. While Nina is a fan of all things scary, Gothic, and fantastic, she doesn’t shy away from a gritty contemporary romance when the muse strikes. She lives in Montreal, a city that never fails to inspire, with her partner and her dog.










EXCERPT
--------------------------


His hand slides, hesitant, across the edge of his seat as he leans closer. The black ink of the letters on his knuckles is stark against his skin.



“Show me,” I say.



And he kisses me. Our lips don’t meet smooth and choreographed like in movies. The stubble on his cheek grazes the corner of my mouth, leaving behind a burning trail, and then his lips cover mine. Nothing hesitant about them. Assertive, self-assured like I thought his kiss would be, the promise of those strong hands and broad shoulders and arrogant posture made real. But he’s anything but arrogant. He gently nips on my lower lip and his hands caress my neck, my jaw, cup my face. He’s holding me like I’m something fragile and precious.



I’m afraid to close my eyes.



He has that lavender scent, sharp and clean, with a note of wild muskiness lurking underneath when you get close enough—that note that’s just him. I don’t know what to do with my hands so I slip them under his jacket and put them on his waist, right above his belt. I finally start to sketch out what his body looks like under his shirt: sinewy and fit and hard.



His hands finally move on, mirroring mine, down to my bare belly exposed by my cropped top. The little hairs along my spine stand on end. An involuntary shudder courses through me, making my abs tighten and quiver. His hand finds the small of my back and settles there, guiding me forward with smooth confidence, pulling me toward him. The heat of his palm melts through my skin into my bones and up my spine, softening my muscles until my entire body feels like hot wax held together by a membrane of skin. I tuck my hand under his belt, just the fingertips—past the hem of his shirt where the pads of my fingers find hot, smooth skin over taut muscle.



He groans softly into my mouth. I lean in and slide onto his lap, barely aware that I’m clambering over a car seat. It’s just so smooth and natural, the grooves of our bodies clicking together like a jigsaw puzzle. His hands on my waist, spreading goosebumps all over my belly, up my back and down my arms; then they move up, up, under my top, stopping when they find my bra. Pausing, hesitant.



I kiss my way along his jaw and his neck, peel away the collar of his shirt to continue down his clavicle. His hand settles over my bra and I can feel its heat through the fabric, a tiny little jolt of sensation that lights up my nerve endings like a Christmas tree.



My mind floats up, under the closed sunroof of the Audi, and watches me from there, impassive. I’m aware of everything I’m doing, too aware, but I don’t stop. My body continues like an automaton, the lips, the hands, performing the motions. Like I’m a car on cruise control, easing into the familiar mode. I know what happens next.


A part of me, very deep down, hopes I don’t.



Only one way to find out.



I go for his belt buckle, find it, tug on it. It yields with a soft clink.



And just as I’m about to stick my hand down his pants, he pulls away.



“’Annah,” he pants. His hand slips out from under my shirt and dives down to catch my wrist. His fingers wrap around my wrist bone, strong and firm.



Maybe it’s the touch that zaps me back into my body, disrupts my functioning. The false step that throws off the whole routine, the bad note that ruins the aria.



“What?” I whisper. My body’s nerves settle into normal mode one by one.


“No.”

“Why not?”


“This isn’t right. This is… overstepping.”

I sit back. I’m still balancing with my shins on his legs—kind of like at work when I lean in, my hair brushing over a customer’s face, and ask in a seductive whisper if he wants another dance.


I blink at him in utter dismay. Thrown off. Tossed overboard into unfamiliar territory and I don’t know what to do.



But I want to be doing this, I start to say. We aren’t doing anything wrong. “I’m attracted to you,” he says. His voice still holds a hint of breathlessness. “But then again, you already knew that.”


“But I’m—” I’m attracted to you too. This much should be obvious.


“I know,” he says softly. He lets go of my wrist and instead takes my hand between his hot, hot palms. He brings it to his lips. “But this isn’t right.”