Tara has made a promise.
A promise to wait six months for Riley to come home from his tour of duty, so they can be together.
But as secrets and lies are uncovered, it leads Tara to question their commitment, and she is finding it difficult to keep that promise.
A promise to wait six months for Riley to come home from his tour of duty, so they can be together.
But as secrets and lies are uncovered, it leads Tara to question their commitment, and she is finding it difficult to keep that promise.
The distance between them is growing, and only one person can fill the void, Tara’s best friend Cole.
As Cole tries to support Tara, he is struggling with demons of his own, that threaten to tear him away from the life he has built for himself.
After devastating news is received, who will be there to pick up the pieces?
As Cole tries to support Tara, he is struggling with demons of his own, that threaten to tear him away from the life he has built for himself.
After devastating news is received, who will be there to pick up the pieces?
... when I was with him it felt so right, as if it were always meant to be. - Tara
Songbird Caged is amazing!
I loved it! It is written in Tara's POV, like book 1, Songbird. If you haven't read Songbird yet, you need to read that
before reading Songbird Caged. This review may contain spoilers from book 1, so
you may want to stop reading if you haven't read it yet.
Songbird was all about
Tara finding herself and falling in love with Riley, whom I really liked most
of the time and other times made we wonder who the real Riley was. In the center of Tara rediscovering herself,
she rekindled her love for music and began playing piano and singing at Songbirds. That is where Cole comes
in... My first impression of Cole was that he was a hot-as-hell-and-knows-it-man-whore
and big trouble for Tara. She was very attracted to him but she didn't want to
be another notch on his bed post, so she didn't put much weight to his
flirtations. Tara needs someone stable
so she lets herself fall in love with Riley.... Riley, Riley, Riley (as I shake
my head) he had me until he got caught in the lie of helping Rebecca. Songbird
ends with Riley showing up at Tara's saying he only have a few hours because he
was getting shipped out on secret military assignment and he asked her to marry
him. Tara agreed and promised to wait him.
I had to remind myself that I was engaged to someone else, as the song came to its end and Cole sang about loving you like never before. I could feel myself falling for him a little more every day. It was worrying, but it also gave me those nervous butterflies that were so exhilarating.
Songbird Caged picks up
where Songbird left off. Tara alone and missing Riley. To fill her time, she
works her day job and works and sings at Songbirds. Since Cole and Tara had already been writing
music together, they started to hang out more - just as friends. But there was this pull, this magnetism that
was getting extremely difficult for Tara to resist. She could not deny that she
was attracted to him. Then, she sees a side of him that none of their friends
know about. A side that he does not like but Tara completely understands.
"You’re always there. You’re the one constant in my life. The one thing I can always rely on when everything else turns to shit. Without you, my music is incomplete.” - Tara
Cole becomes Tara's rock.
Her best friend. and in the process finds herself forgetting what Riley looks
like but she is determined to stay faithful to her commitment to Riley.
“You’re my exception to every belief I’ve ever had as far as relationships go. I let my mum and Prue walk all over me because it was easier than fighting it every step of the way. But I have something worth fighting for now—at least I hope I do. I have never met anyone like you, Tara. You break every one of my rules, and what I find really surprising is I like the fact that you break them. I enjoy just hanging out with you. I look forward to seeing you, and miss you when you’re not around. I think about you all the time. I just want to be with you. I feel like a piece of me is missing when you’re not beside me. I know you’ll probably find it hard to trust me at first, but believe me when I say I don’t want anyone but you.” - Cole
I am so in love with Cole!
The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger but someone told me about it so I had
anticipated it, so it didn't upset me. I will be stalking Lisa Edward to get
writing so I can find out who Tara ends up with (Team Cole!). Lisa, if you are reading this - she better
choose Cole! LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She is the light in
the darkness guiding me home,
my one true
north.
She gives me
strength; she brings me to my knees.
She inspires me, she
captivates me.
She is my world, my
life, my love, my eternity.
She is my Tara.
Songbird Caged is
the sequel to Songbird you definitely have to read it in order.
This book is told in dual POV's of Cole and Tara. In this first
book its about Tara's love triangle between Riley, Cole and Marcus.
Riley wins Tara's heart in the end of the first book but he is shipped
off to war and its unknown when he will be back. Songbird Caged picks
up with Tara trying to live her life without Riley being around, her
relationship with Marcus is purely friendship now but Cole is a completely
different story. This books was another cliffy! I sobbed multiple
times in this story and seriously considered throwing my kindle at the
end..mind you my kindle is my 3rd child but I was so broke up by this that I
felt betrayed almost .. I know crazy right! Well you will feel the same
and you will cry ugly angry tears! Lisa oh Lisa I love you dearly but
your breaking my heart and I'm going to need someone to pick up my pieces by
the end of this journey! Please Please to all the is holy let there
finally be a HEA in the next installment.. I just don't think my mind or body
can take it if there isn't. That being said I would definitely give this
book 5 stars! If you can get me to almost throw my kindle then
your story touched me so deep that it will sit with me for a long time. I
have a huge book hangover after this... and Just FYI I am Team Cole all the
way!
The tattooed bad boy musician just melts my panties and
heart! Oh and don't get me wrong I love Riley too but Cole just stole my
heart from the beginning. I am not going to go into detail about this
book because it will give away too much so I will leave you with some excerpts
from the story!
He held up his hands to stop my train of thought. "No. that's definitely not what I'm saying. What I mean is, you're the only girl I could live with. You know you're my exception to every rule."I was ready to leave, but he pulled me into his chest again, holding me prisoner in his strong embrace. I couldn't fight him when he was so close. He smelled so good. His skin was so warm and smooth against my cheek. No matter how much I wanted to push him away, I instead ended up melting into him."You're the most important person in my life, Tara. I'd do anything for you; you know that. Besides, we spend so much time together, it's not a big stretch."Deep down, what I really wanted was for him to fight for me, to tell me he could change and be the man I wanted him to be. That he couldn't live without me, and would never give up. But that was just a pipe dream, and I guess, in the end, it was for the better. This way I could be confident that sticking by Riley was the right option, the only option. If Cole was to fight for me, I don't think it would take much to sway me, and I would never be able to live with the guilt of betraying Riley."How many times do I have to tell you, you're my exception? I would willingly kiss and lick every single inch of your body if you would let me." He rested his forehead against mine. "Over--and over--and over again."
“I’d like to take you out.”
I looked at Cole, slightly amused. “We go out all the time.”
“No, we go to your place, we come here. We go to the gym, for a run on the beach, or we go to Songbirds. We don’t go out.”
We were sitting on Cole’s couch in his apartment, looking at light fittings for Reds on the Internet.
He was wringing his hands. “Would you like to go out with me?” he asked.
I frowned. “What, like on a date?”
“If that’s what you want to call it. I don’t know, I’ve never been on a date. But if going out to dinner and then a club together is a date, then sure, let’s call it a date.”
I looked at him warily. “You do know I’m engaged, right? You haven’t forgotten?”
He shrugged. “In theory. But there’s no harm in letting me take you out. I mean, officially take you out—on a date.”
I had to think about this for a minute. Was it asking for trouble to let him believe we could actually date when I had made a commitment to Riley?
“You know, even if you pay for dinner, I’m not going to sleep with you,” I said with a smile.
“So what’s the point of paying for dinner, then?” he asked cheekily. He took hold of my hands in his. “I wouldn’t expect you to sleep with anyone on a first date. You’re not that kind of girl.”
I exhaled slowly, weighing up how to respond. “Okay, we can go out on three conditions.”
He nodded.
“Firstly, we need to have other people there, so maybe Marcus and Nicole can come with us.”
“Like a double date,” he said, teasingly.
I chuckled, and shook my head. “Secondly, you have to stop calling it a date.”
He grinned at me cheekily.
“Thirdly, you have to wear your Calvin Klein jeans, the ones that fit your butt really well.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I awoke with a start.
My arm had gone to sleep from laying on it all night, and my face was squished into someone’s neck. It was Cole’s. I inhaled his warm cedar and musk scent. Even after sleeping on the couch all night, he smelt unbelievable.
Sitting up, I moved my head from side to side, trying to stretch out the kinks.
“Good morning, sleepy head. Did you just sniff me again?”
I looked down at Cole. He was grinning up at me as I rubbed my shoulders and numb arm.
“Good morning,” I replied with a groan, as I stretched my arms over my head. “You know I’m staying here so I don’t have to sleep on a couch. Kind of defeats the purpose, spending the night out here.”
He sat up and started rubbing my arm, trying to get the blood to flow back into it.
“I disagree. I’m sure I’m much more comfortable to lay on than your lumpy couch.” He moved his attention to my shoulders, and I sighed. “Besides, it’s not every day I have someone dribble all down my neck.”
I wiped my hand across my cheek. It was damp. Oh my God, I had dribbled in my sleep. I checked Cole’s neck and quickly wiped it dry.
“You should be used to it,” I said, trying to make light of the embarrassing situation. “You have girls drooling over you everywhere you go.”
He chuckled. “No one who matters.” He took my hand away from his now dry neck and held it. “Until now, that is.”
Songbird, book 1
Every relationship changes you, some for the better, others can shatter your confidence and almost destroy you.
For the musically talented, twenty-four year old Tara O’Connell, her relationship with Stephen almost broke her, until Tara found the strength to leave.
Now she is on the road to discovering that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and follow your heart.
As Tara’s self-belief grows, she meets two men she is instantly drawn to who will change her life forever.
Corporal Riley Hammond is a soldier in the Australian Military Special Forces. With his smiling sapphire blue eyes, Tara falls for him instantly. He is thoughtful and caring, and gives her the support and love she needs.
While Cole Michaels is the overconfident singer in a popular local band. His charisma, emerald green eyes, tattoos and piercing, have girls falling at his feet. But while Cole pushes
Tara’s buttons, he also pushes her to reach for the stars.
Both men couldn’t be more polar opposites, but both offer Tara different qualities that she needs to fulfill her destiny.
As Tara continues her journey, she will discover fate can offer you more than one path. Her fate is in her own hands, and the choices she makes, will shape her life forever.
For the musically talented, twenty-four year old Tara O’Connell, her relationship with Stephen almost broke her, until Tara found the strength to leave.
Now she is on the road to discovering that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and follow your heart.
As Tara’s self-belief grows, she meets two men she is instantly drawn to who will change her life forever.
Corporal Riley Hammond is a soldier in the Australian Military Special Forces. With his smiling sapphire blue eyes, Tara falls for him instantly. He is thoughtful and caring, and gives her the support and love she needs.
While Cole Michaels is the overconfident singer in a popular local band. His charisma, emerald green eyes, tattoos and piercing, have girls falling at his feet. But while Cole pushes
Tara’s buttons, he also pushes her to reach for the stars.
Both men couldn’t be more polar opposites, but both offer Tara different qualities that she needs to fulfill her destiny.
As Tara continues her journey, she will discover fate can offer you more than one path. Her fate is in her own hands, and the choices she makes, will shape her life forever.
For a limited time, purchase Songbird for only $0.99!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
While Lisa Edward has called Melbourne Australia home for her entire life, she has lived and worked in England, and travelled through most parts of Europe and the United States. She loves nothing more than spending time with her husband and beautiful daughter, or curling up into the early hours of the morning with a great novel. By day, Lisa works in the analytical IT field, so relishes the opportunity to foster her creative side through writing. Her deep appreciation for literature was nurtured from a young age, being taught to respect books and get lost in their stories. She enjoys reading honest and realistic novels that are relatable, thought provoking and leave a lasting impression. She can’t write without music playing, using the emotions from different songs to invoke that of her characters. Lisa takes inspiration from her own life experiences, the people around her and those she has met in her travels.
