Review & Blog tour: The Book by Jessica Bell + Giveaway

Hey everyone! I hope you`re having a great time since I`ve been gone and that you don`t miss me (but I do miss you :) ) Today is my stop in the blog tour for The Book by Jessica Bell, an adult contemporary. I got the amazing chance to read and review this book and I really enjoyed it. I have prepared my review for you today as well as a giveaway, I hope the intro and my review will catch your attention and that you`ll want to read this book.

Title: The Book
by Jessica Bell
Publication date: January 18th 2013
Publisher: Vine Leaves Press
Genre: Adult, Contemporary


Summary:
This book is not The Book. The Book is in this book. And The Book in this book is both the goodie and the baddie.

Bonnie is five. She wants to bury The Book because it is a demon that should go to hell. Penny, Bonnie’s mother, does bury The Book, but every day she digs it up and writes in it. John, Bonnie’s father, doesn’t live with them anymore. But he still likes to write in it from time to time. Ted, Bonnie’s stepfather, would like to write in The Book, but Penny won’t allow it.

To Bonnie, The Book is sadness.
To Penny, The Book is liberation.
To John, The Book is forgiveness.
To Ted, The Book is envy.
But The Book in this book isn’t what it seems at all.

If there was one thing in this world you wished you could hold in your hand, what would it be? The world bets it would be The Book.

Purchase:

Amazon

The Book is the book. It's a touching, heartwarming and truthful story about a little girl and her family, about love and how Bonnie sees the people around her.

The Book is an actual diary that Bonnie's parents started writing in when she was in Peggie's tummy. But in this book there's also Bonnie's point of view and her conversations with Dr. Wright.

I have never read a book from a kid's POV before and I must admit it's an interesting experience. Not only was it innocent and touching, it was also kind of funny. There were situations when Bonnie said things like the ice cream should be called i-quiet or she thought innocent is in-a-cent and was linked to money. Those are simple things to us, the so-called grown ups, but to a child's perception it`s different as she's still learning.

That's what I enjoyed the most about this book. It's written in such an adorable and poignant manner that it got me engrossed and held my attention through out. The voice of Bonnie's POV was so innocent and honest I truly believed I was reading what an actual child could say and do. And her mother's own love story written in The Book was brought out excellently.

Spoiler: I knew how this book will end, I just had the feeling it`s not going to have happy ending. I`m not sure what gave it away- maybe the cover and the shortness of this book, or just an instinct.


I don't want to relate the whole book because it would be a risk of telling too much as short as it is. But trust me, if you read this book, it might (or will) leave a big impact on you (especially if you're a parent yourself).

This book is unique and something I will never forget, and when I have a child of my own I'm sure I will remember this story. I`d recommend this book to everyone who`s ever been in love, lost a sibling or just for someone who wants a great read.

If Jessica Bell could choose only one creative mentor, she'd give the role to Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and lyrics. This is not only because she currently resides in Athens, Greece, but because of her life as a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist, whose literary inspiration often stems from songs she's written. Jessica is the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and annually runs the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca. For more information, please visit her website: www.jessicabellauthor.com

Connect with Jessica:
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Two signed copies of The Book (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think of this book? If you had the chance, you`d read it? what do you think of child point of views?

Guest Review: Rewrite Redemption by J.H. Walker

Title: Rewrite Redemption
by J.H. WalkerPublication date: January 25th 2013 
Genre: YA, Time Travel, Sci-fi



Summary:
She’s sixteen. He’s seventeen. They don’t know each other…at least not yet.

She has a secret and her whole life revolves around keeping it. Every few months and with little warning, she simply disappears, pulled into the past for hours or even days. She’s terrified it will happen in front of someone, changing her life forever. So far, the only witnesses have been her parents, and that didn’t end well. She has no control over it and no idea why it happens to her.

She wants answers.

He has answers—at least he understands what’s going on. He has a secret, too. He’s part of an organization that goes back in time to rewrite reality. But he also has a problem. He broke the organization’s number-one rule by altering his own timeline. As punishment, he’s been blocked from time travel, which is most unfortunate. Because the changes he made to his timeline, accidentally resulted in disaster for his family. A disaster he’s now prevented from repairing. No one can travel beneath the organization’s radar except a Shadow. But they’re rare, so rare he’s never even met one.

Then he moves to her town.

This is a YA romance with paranormal/sci-fi elements.

Purchase:

Amazon

Source: Received a copy from the author in exchange of honest review. I was in no way compensated to alter the rating and all opinions are my own.

When I read the summary I was little bit nervous about reading the book, because the summary sounded like the usual sappy romance book, which I usually don't choose to read, but since it included time traveling, which is something fresh in this book generation, I decided to read the book. It was wonderful, I enjoyed the book and I was able to easily understand the characters.

Characters:
I usually prefer to read male writer books, because if there is characters male point of view they are more realistic, but with female writers the male becomes too much like a woman, I loved that Constantine wasn't like that, he was nice, smart and cool, but his thoughts didn't become those of a girl. Also I enjoyed that AJ had a strong personality, how she had become through the tough years since her mother's death. 

My favorite part was about the actual time traveling, that was what I was waiting for and I wasn't disappointed. I wish there could have been more of it, because those were the parts I read when the clock was almost 1 am, and I had an exam the next day, I just couldn't stop, it had pulled me in there. Hosa and the cowboys were giving the story that spark I loved.

The writing:
The book was easy to read, it didn't have any useless talks, moments, and it also wasn't empty, it had enough of everything. What I understood was that time traveling is really complicated, even if there is a possibility that nothing is forgotten. The ending was perfect, actually the kind of ending I usually wait for, but somehow I was a little confused with it all. Maybe because it ended too happily? I didn't understand what  she had changed in the Guild, I loved it, but then again I didn't, even I don't understand myself.

Bottom line:
All in all, I did love the book, I would love to read something similar again, but with totally different characters, because they had the happy ending, no need to bother them, that would be rude of life, but I would still read it if they had another trouble in paradise. The moment back in time was what made the ordinary fascinating, so I advise everybody who likes a good adventure filled book to read Rewrite Redemption.

Blog Tour & Interview: ReVamped by Ada Adams

Hi! I`m really glad to be a part of this tour for ReVamped by Ada Adams, a YA paranormal novel. I got the chance to interview Ada (!) and I`m excited to share it with you today. In this post you can introduce yourself to ReVamped, read the interview and enter the giveaway at the end of the post.
Organized by: BookNerd Tours

Title: ReVamped (Angel Creek #1)
by Ada Adams
Publication date: February 20th 2012
Publisher: Selfpublished
Genre: Vampires, YA, Fantasy, Paranormal


Summary:
A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

Purchase:

Amazon

Title: ReAwakened (Angel Creek #2)

by Ada AdamsPublication date: November 27th 2012
Publisher: Selfpublished

Genre: Vampires, YA, Fantasy, Paranormal

Summary:

Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—orsomething—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

Purchase:
Amazon

With Ada Adams

What inspired you to write your book?

I was intrigued by our society’s obsession with vampires. I wanted to explore what would happen if, enticed by our love for them, vampires decided that it was safe to “come out of the coffin” and live in our world. I figured that we would most likely treat them like celebrities, but I never wanted to tell a story about perfect vampires. After all, we already have so many great books about such strong, smart, and sexy beings. Instead, I focused on writing about misfits—vampires who weren’t so great at the whole “vamp thing”. Or, you know, the “human thing”.

Describe your book in ten words, please.

Adventurous vampire fun with some silly misfits, a strong girl, cute boys, and lots of dark secrets.

Haha! Cheating a little, aren`t we?

How did you come up with the title?

I initially wrote “ReVamped” as a script for a TV show pilot, and since the story was about a group of misfit vampires undergoing some major changes, the title worked well. Once I decided to turn it into a novel, I began seeking out a new name. I had a list of about twenty possible titles, but throughout the first few drafts, I kept coming back to “ReVamped”. It was what I had associated the story with from the start, because the characters not only go through revamping of their skills as vampires, but also their personalities as “human beings”.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?

“ReVamped” actually got a little revamp recently! When I initially wrote the book, I wanted it to be very satirical and humorous, but over time, especially since writing its sequels, I decided to up the maturity level of the text and a little bit. White the essence of the story and its characters remains unchanged—because it’s something extremely unique to “ReVamped”—there are some bonus scenes and extended dialogue in the newest version out this spring. Of course, I welcome everyone who has purchased a copy to trade it in for a new version, free of charge.

What are your current projects?

I’m currently finishing “Heartstrings”, an NA Contemporary love story that has been in my head for quite some time now. I’m also working on the third book in the “Angel Creek” series, “ReBorn”. My third project is a YA Thriller series that kind of has a “Veronica Mars” vibe to it.

Ooh, I`m going to keep an eye out for Heartstrings

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

One of the hardest parts of the writing process in general is realizing that something—whether a scene or a character—doesn’t work and needs to be cut. This is especially difficult if I have invested a lot of time and emotion in a scene or character, only to learn that I’ll have to scrap the whole thing! I deal with this by admitting that it’s in the best interest of the story and it will yield a better result in the end.

Have you ever hated something you wrote?

Of course! All the time! That’s what rewrites and edits are for. It’s all part of the creative process, as well as learning to be a better writer. Every single thing I write—no matter how good or bad—will somehow add to my growth as a writer. It’s the rare days that I am not writing that worry me.

What is your favourite theme/genre to write about?

Writing for and about Young Adults is definitely my favorite thing to do. The teenage years are such a special time in a person’s life—one that we can all relate to. It’s a time when we grow the most and learn about the person we want to become. I love discovering the world with my characters!

Overall, Contemporary and Paranormal are my favorite genres to explore, but I also enjoy Horror. I haven’t written too much Horror (unless you count some short stories and my gory scenes in “ReAwakened”), but I plan to incorporate some spookiness into my upcoming YA Thriller. However, no matter which genre I write in, I always like to incorporate some kind of a Mysterious twist into the story.

One genre that kind of scares me is “Historical Fiction”. I love history, but I worry about inaccurately portraying a specific time period. I’ve steered clear of history for now, though I do have a cute YA story idea that has been running through my head for a while. Who knows, maybe one day! :D

It`s the same with me. I try to keep away from Historical genre in general.

What book are you reading now?

I just bought “Darkhouse”, the first book in the “Experiment in Terror” series by Karina Halle. The description of “Supernatural” meets “X-Files” had me hooked. Even though I’m only halfway through, I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s quite different from most Paranormal stories I’ve read so far. I love exploring abandoned places (for photography, not ghost hunting!), so I can relate to the atmosphere. Plus, the MC’s sister’s name is Ada. How cool is that?

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I’ve been on an upper YA/NA Contemporary kick lately. Even though I feel like I’ve read every single thing that came out recently, some that really stood out were “Vain” by Fischer Amelie, “Easy” by Tammara Webber, and “Hopeless” by Colleen Hoover.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Read everything you can get your hands on and write as much as you can. So many people tell me that they want to write, but are too afraid to do it because they think they’re not good enough. My suggestion is to just write and worry about how good it is later. You don’t have to submit it to an agent, publish it online, or even show it to anyone. Just write because you love to write and enjoy meeting those characters that have been locked up in your head for years!

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Dear Readers, if you’re reading this book blog, then you’re probably book junkies like me! I hope that you always continue to carry that passion with you. Never stop reading and traveling the world on the pages of books! If you do happen to read any of my books, I hope that you enjoy them! I am so thankful for every single reader who has taken the time to read my work and fall in love with my characters. Your support means the world to me! I always love chatting with my readers, so don’t hesitate to message me on Twitter (@Ada_Adams) or through email (info@revampedbook.com) if you have any questions or just want to talk about your love for Nutella. I welcome all Nutealla addicts! ;)

Mmm, I love Nutella!

Thank you for having this interview with me, Ada! I hope to see you here again one day!

“Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out.”

As a writer and an actress, Ada spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the kick-butt female characters she enjoys writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Masters of Science in Education.

Ada began her writing career at the age of three with a string of short stories that only a mother could love, and has been inventing quirky characters and imaginary worlds ever since. She is an editor-in-chief of VEUX Magazine (www.veuxmag.com) and a passionate advocate for the arts. A self-proclaimed book and TV junkie, she also loves animals, chocolate, and bubble tea.

Ada lives in Toronto, Canada. When she's not writing, you can find her on an adventurous nature hike with her puppies, Caramilk and Oreo. Or, more likely, deep in a jar of Nutella...

Connect with Ada:

Website | GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook

  

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Follow the tour and check out the reviews from other bloggers here.

Interview & Excerpt: Catching the Bad Guy by Marie Astor + Giveaway

Hey everyone! Even though I`m leaving this evening, I still prepared you a last post :) (how awesome am I, huh?...Just kidding!) Today is my stop in the blog tour for Catching the Bad Guy by Marie Astor. I had the amazing chance to interview Marie. In this post you can read the interview and an excerpt from the book, also there`s a giveaway for you to enter.

Title: Catching the Bad Guy

by Marie Astor
Publication date: May 14th 2013
Genre: Romance, Mystery, Suspense



Summary:
Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can't do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.

Purchase:

Amazon | Itunes | Kobo

Janet paced the floor of her office, clasping and unclasping her hands. The prospect of apologizing to Alex turned her stomach, but she had promised Dennis that she would and there was no going back now. How many women ended up having to apologize to their ex-boyfriends? Not many, but she was one of the lucky few. There was no use grumbling about it. She might as well get the humiliation over with.

With leaden steps, Janet walked down the hallway that led to Alex’s office. She was about to knock on his door when the sound of a female voice stopped her. “Do you have an appointment to see Mr. Kingsley?”

Janet turned around and saw that the question had come from Georgiana Russell, the flashy blonde Janet remembered Alex introducing as his assistant. “Hi, Georgiana. No, I don’t, but I was hoping I could see him.”

“I am in charge of Mr. Kingsley’s schedule,” Georgiana replied, pouting her pink lips for emphasis. “I will check if he is available.”

Before Georgiana had a chance to attend to her task, Alex’s door opened and the man himself stood in the doorway. “Janet! What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in.”

“Thank you, Alex.”

Alex leaned against the door, holding it open with his shoulder. “Please, have a seat,” Alex offered, motioning at the chair that stood across from his desk and closed the office door.

Janet sat down and crossed her legs, her skirt hiking up a few inches above her knee. When they had been together, Alex had often told her that he loved the shape of her legs. She might as well use every weapon in her arsenal.

“Alex,” Janet started tentatively, “I wanted to apologize for speaking out of turn during our meeting last week.” She lowered her eyelashes for added effect and then looked up at him again. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m not like that at all. You are the head of this department now, and I want to assure you that I will diligently carry out any task that you choose to delegate to me. I can’t tell you how sorry I am and how badly I feel about what happened.”

“No need to apologize, Janet,” Alex assured her, waving his hand magnanimously. “I understand completely. We are all human, and we all can be guilty of overreacting at times.”

“I am so glad that you understand.” What a pompous prick Alex had become. He was so full of himself he could not see past his own nose.

“And I am so glad that we have an understanding, Janet. I promise that you will be well-rewarded for your cooperation.”

“So, is there anything in particular you’d like me to do?” Janet asked.

“For now, I just want you to keep a real close watch on Dennis Walker. I tell you, Janet, the senior management is none too happy with the stunt he pulled during the Bostoff / Emperial investigation. He won’t get away with those kinds of antics on my watch. Not him, not anyone else for that matter. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, you let me know immediately.”

with Marie Astor

What inspired you to write your book?
The world of white collar crime has always intrigued me (I love watching American Greed!). And I’ve always liked the idea of an office romance although I’ve never had on myself. A combination of these two ideas was the inspiration for the Janet Maple Series. Catching the Bad Guy is the second book in the Janet Maple series.



How did you come up with the title?
My line of thinking went like this: it’s a white collar crime romantic suspense; there are good guys and bad guys. The good guys are catching the bad guys, hence the title.



Describe your book in ten words, please.
Suspense, office romance, corruption: Catching the Bad Guy has it all!

Okay, it’s eleven words, but that’s the best I could come up with.



What are your current projects?
Right now I am working on book three of the Janet Maple Series. I don’t have a title yet, but I’ve started writing it. I hope for the release date sometime in late fall.



What is your favourite theme/genre to write about?
I write in the contemporary romance / romantic suspense genres. I write in these genres because I enjoy writing about human relationships and the search for love.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Any time I go back to any of my books there are things that I’m tempted to change. I think that’s a normal process for a writer: as you grow and your writing skills improve, you start viewing things differently. However, I resist the urge. Each book is the way I wanted to write it at the time, so that’s the way every single one of them will remain. Instead, I apply my new skills to the new books that I write.



What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Writing a book requires commitment. When the going gets tough, it’s important to stick with it: that’s the hardest part.



Have you ever hated something you wrote?
Hate is a very strong emotion. When working on a book, there are times when I dislike what I wrote, so then I sit down and rewrite it.

What book are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading Betrayal by Danielle Steel.



Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I love Ruth Cardello’s Legacy Series (can’t wait to read Rise of the Billionaire) and Blue Grass Brothers Series by Cathleen Brooks (Relentless Pursuit is on my list to read when it comes out).



Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up, never surrender! This is my personal motto. It’s actually a quote from Galaxy Quest, and while a science fiction comedy is hardly a place to draw inspirational quotes from, I believe that this quote is truly applicable to writing.



Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Thank you so much for reading this interview! It’s always difficult for me to talk about myself, but I promise that my the characters in my books are a lot more interesting than me. I hope that you will check out my latest book, Catching the Bad Guy (there is an excerpt and a short blurb at the end of the post).

Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic, which is why she loves writing in the contemporary romance genre.

Marie Astor is the author of Janet Maple romantic suspense series: To Catch a Bad Guy and Catching the Bad Guy, contemporary romance novels This Tangled Thing Called Love, Lucky Charm, Smitten at First Sight, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window. Marie is also the author of young adult fantasy adventure novel, Over the Mountain and Back. Marie’s next novel, book three of the Janet Maple Series, is expected to be released in late fall of 2013.

In her spare time, Marie enjoys being adventurous out-of-doors. She often gets new story ideas while she is hiking up a mountain or trying to avoid bumping into a tree while skiing.

Marie loves hearing from her readers and always answers all of her email personally. Please visit www.marieastor.com to join Marie’s mailing list for updates on contests and new book releases or drop her a line at marie.astor@yahoo.com.

Everyone who leaves a comment on Marie’s tour page will be entered in the giveaway! Anyone who purchases their copy of Catching the Bad Guy before June 10 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will receive 5 bonus entries! Want to receive more bonus entries? Get 1 point for liking Marie's Facebook page, and one point for becoming Marie's fan on GoodReads! Please leave your points in your comment section below. Five individual winners will receive a piece of jewelry shown to the right, and one bonus winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card! Please note this is open to US residents only.

Book Blast: Change of Heart by Scarlett Edwards + Giveaway

Title: Change of Heart
by Scarlett EdwardsPublication date: May 19th 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary



Summary:

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...

Purchase:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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.

I'm Scarlett Edwards. I'm a full-time student (2nd year, undergrad) and part-time writer. I hope to switch those around soon!

I'm kind of old fashioned. I write all my stories using paper and ink. At the end of the day, I transcribe them on my laptop. It takes a bit longer, but writing in a notebook really focuses my thoughts.

I love vintage photography. I have an old-school film camera that was my mom's from before I was born. I use it to take pictures almost every day. 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. 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:

Website | Facebook | GoodReads

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!!

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100 Follower Giveaway!

Hi! As I mentioned once before I was going to celebrate reaching 100 follows on Bookish Randomness. I never thought I would have any audience on this blog, much less having more than a 100 followers. I`m really grateful to all of you :) As a thank you I decided to throw a month-long giveaway with awesome prizes for you to win.

What you could win:

And any two books written by John Green (not Zombiecorns or Let it Snow)

You have the chance to win two paperbacks from a series listed above. The only exceptions are The 5th Wave and The Collector (they`re currenty without published sequels)

The terms and conditions:

- You have to be at least 13 years old

- Open INTERNATIONALLY

- The giveaway ends on 30th June (CET +3.00)

- Cheaters never pass, so don`t take entries for what you haven`t done (I do check!)

Good luck!

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