Book Tour: Where We Belong by K.L. Grayson

 

 

Regret . . . she's a snarky little bitch. I’ve tried several times to regret the events that took place on June 5, 2008, but for the life of me, I can’t. I'd never regret the pain, the suffering, or the heartache because they ultimately led me to the place I am now. And I can’t regret the place I am now. What I still can't figure out is this: how is it possible that the single worst day of my life inadvertently became the very best day? Five years ago my life was irrevocably changed. Seventeen minutes was all it took— to lose my best friend… to lose the love of my life… Seventeen minutes was all it took for the seeds of hope—the seeds of my future—to be planted in the worst possible way. My name is Harley Thompson, and this is my story.     

  

Harley “Holy shit that burns!"I crinkle my nose up at the fire the tequila leaves behind. "Pussy." Quinn laughs, handing me a lemon and popping one in her mouth. Flipping her off, I swivel in my seat, watching all of the sweaty bodies fight for attention on the dance floor. Adam Levine's seductive voice croons through the speakers, and I sway to the beat. My eyes wander over to the pool table, landing on Ty. Reaching up, he runs his fingers through his shaggy, brown hair and laughs at something someone says. His dimples take root, and his smile lights up his face. I tilt my head to the side, a deep sigh rushing from my lips. Ty. We're friends. Best friends. That's it. Tyson and I grew up together. Literally. Our mothers have been best friends since the day my family moved in next door to his when I was the ripe age of twelve months. Not only did we learn how to walk together, we went to preschool together, learned how to drive together, we even had our first after school detention together. Tonight, we are celebrating because this morning, we graduated from college together. Me, with a degree in nursing, and Ty with his bachelor's in biology, Pre-Med. Quinn nudges my shoulder. "You love him. You need to tell him or you're going to regret it." She thinks she's helping, but in all reality she is only making me wish for things that I most certainly should not be wishing for. "Quinn," I say, raising my glass to the server with a quick nod, letting her know I want another. "It's complicated." She shakes her head with a sarcastic laugh. "Only because you're making it. Why you two are in the friend zone is beyond me." The server sets down another round of shots. "Shut up and drink. To friends!" Raising my glass I tap it against hers, and down the shot. My head spins, signaling the beginning of a nice buzz. I wasn't planning on getting drunk tonight, but after the bomb Tyson dropped on me a couple of hours ago, I need this. Tyson is standing in the doorway to my bedroom, his hands tucked deep in his pockets. He looks off to the side. "Harley, we need to talk." His voice is pained. He hasn't made a move to come in. I can tell I'm not going to like this. My heart drops into the pit of my stomach. I can feel it in my bones–something is off. "Okaaaay, shoot." I train my eyes on the suitcase in front me and pull out clothes. He reaches for me, but I turn away and stuff some T-shirts in my drawer. "Moving back home is going to take some getting used to," I murmur. "A lot can change when you go away to college for four years," he says, running his hand down the back of his neck. "Yes, it does." Opening the closet door, I stare into the dark, empty space. "I'm definitely finding a place of my own soon. Right after I find a job." “Brit and I decided not to stay at Wash U for medical school," he blurts. "She wants to be closer to her family.” Ty wipes his hands on his jeans and fidgets as he sits on my bed. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Ty shifts toward me, reaching for my hand. This time, I don't pull away. "Please look at me, Harley. I want you to understand what I'm saying." I blow out the breath I didn't know I was holding and stare at my suitcase for a few more seconds before I look up. "Doesn't Brit's family live in New York?" "They do." He nods. "As soon as she told me she wanted to be near them, we applied to the medical school at Columbia, and we've both been accepted. We, um, we leave next week." "What?" I gasp, jumping up, my eyes nearly popping out of my head. "You can't be serious." My voice rises with each word. "Just like that?" I shake my head, refusing to accept this. "You're just going to up and leave?" I shove a drawer closed harder than I intend, causing the mirror to shake violently. "One week? That's it?" Tears gather in my eyes and I look away, blinking rapidly to keep them at bay. I will not cry. I will not cry. “I’m sorry, Harley," Tyson's voice cracks. "I didn’t know how to tell you." He sighs heavily, dropping his head. "I didn’t want to tell you.” His hands shake in his lap, and some of my anger dissipates. The magnetic pull we've always had draws me closer to him. My fingers itch to dive into his hair and pull him against me. To comfort him. To comfort me. Something . . . anything to slow down whatever storm he's battling . . . but I don't. “Wow," I whisper, sitting on the bed next to him. "I’m not really sure what to say." I look up, and our eyes meet in the mirror. “Is this what you want? I mean, she isn’t pressuring you to do this. Right?” He shakes his head slowly. “No, she isn't." I reach over and grab his hand, entwining my fingers with his, and he squeezes his eyes shut with the contact. “She’s my future, Harley," he says, looking up. "This is my future. Please tell me you understand.” He clutches my hand, a silent plea for me to accept the path he’s chosen. Don't go. Stay. Don't do this. “Of course,” I whisper, my heart breaking at the lie. Unable to hold back the tears, I let them fall silently down my cheeks. My mind yells at me to say or do something to make him stay. "Earth to Harley," Quinn says, nudging me out of the emotional wrecking ball that was my morning. I glance over at the pool table again. Tyson's arm hangs loosely around Brit's neck. Her arms are wrapped tightly around his body. Me. That should be me. I watch as he wraps her perfectly straight blonde hair around his hand and tugs hers beautifully sculpted face up to his. He leans down, placing a gentle kiss on her pouty lips and when she smiles, I swear, I'm blinded by her sparkling blue eyes. I, on the other hand, was cursed with an unruly brown rat's nest on top of my head and a pair of mossy green eyes with a tiny button nose. Side by side, we are the princess and the frog. I may be exaggerating a bit. I'm cute, or so I've been told, but Brit is every man's dream. She can have any guy she wants, but she wants Tyson--my Tyson. I sigh as he pulls her in closer. And he wants her, too. I hate her. My relationship with Brit is rocky at best. She's frequently upset with the amount of time that Ty and I spend together. Despite our reassurances that we're just friends, she doesn't buy it. On more than one occasion, she has tried to convince him that I was harboring secret feelings for him. She went as far as to accuse me of using our friendship as an excuse to spend extra time with him. Tyson never believed her, but she was right. I do have feelings for Ty. I’ve loved that boy since I was nine years old. The minute he punched Jimmy Tallen in the nose for calling me ugly, my heart belonged to him. Telling him about my feelings never seemed like an option. He never seemed to be into me, and I wasn't willing to risk losing our friendship. So I sat back, watching quietly as he dated girl after girl. I nursed his broken hearts and encouraged him to get back on the dating wagon, as any good friend would do. Then Brit literally stumbled into our lives, and everything changed. I didn’t like it at all. Tyson used to know everything about me. He knew all of my secrets, lies, and insecurities. But that isn't the case anymore. He doesn't know my biggest secret. He doesn't know that I'm in love with him. Something happened when he told me he was moving. I'm not sure what it was, but a puzzle piece was put into place and everything became crystal clear. I had to tell him. He can’t leave without knowing the truth. I've always been able to predict how Tyson will react to things, but I honestly have no idea how he is going to respond to this. “One more shot,” I say, raising my glass to Quinn. Her lips curl in a devious smile. “Someone is getting brave.” “I need all the liquid courage I can get.” We tap and chug. “It’s about damn time.” She has been trying to get me to confess my undying love to Ty for the past four years. My head spins when I move to stand, but it’s not because I’m drunk. Confrontations have never been my strong suit. Not that I’m going to confront Ty in a bad way, but still. On unsteady legs, I make my way across the bar. Ty is playing pool with Levi and Cooper, his college roommates. This is the perfect time to approach him since Brit is standing at an adjacent table talking to some of her friends. I would prefer her to not be present for this conversation. Levi greets my intrusion with a hug. “Hello, gorgeous.” His hand roams down the small of my back, and I smack it away playfully. Poking his chest, I give him a firm look. "No ass grabbing tonight," I scold. I lean against the back wall as Cooper sweeps the table and that's my cue. Wasting no time, I kick off the wall and approach Ty. “Hey, got a sec?” He cocks his head to the side, giving me a lopsided grin that makes my insides melt and my knees wobble. “Anything for you, you know that.” Taking a deep cleansing breath, I calm my nerves. “Can we step outside? Maybe somewhere a little more quiet?” Tyson purses his lips, tilting his head to the side, but he doesn’t protest. Instead, he places his hand at the small of my back and steers me toward the side door. “I think there are some tables outside in the back,” he says quietly. I nod once and continue for the exit. Tyson opens the door and a warm rush of hot air greets us. I look around, not finding any tables. Ty guides me to the right and toward the back of the building where we spot some picnic tables, while I give myself a silent pep talk. You can do it. What’s the worse that could happen? Don’t forget to breathe. We come to a stop by a table and I grab Ty's arm, preventing him from sitting. “I think you’re going to want to stand for this.” I know him all too well and I’m sure that within the next two minutes he’ll be pacing like a bull. “Okay. You’re starting to make me nervous, Harley. Is everything okay?” He runs his hands through his hair, giving it that I-just-had-wild-monkey-sex look, and then he shoves them both into his pockets. I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. It’s now or never. “I love you.” Smiling sweetly, he replies, “I love you, too.” I shake my head, pinning him with my stare, trying to convey just how much my feelings have morphed from friendship into something more. “No. I love you, love you, Ty.” At first he just looks at me, and I’m not completely sure he understands what I’m saying. But then I see it. Acceptance, relief, and fear flash quickly through his eyes before they settle on me. Written all over his face is the one thing that makes this all worth it: love. Pure love. My body sags with relief. This was the right move. My small bubble of hope is quickly popped as Tyson's expression changes. His face turns cold. His eyebrows narrow. He shakes his head slowly. He looks over at me and then stares at the ground, clenching his fists. When his eyes land back on mine, the love that I saw a second ago is gone. But it was there. I saw the adoration in his eyes. “Don’t leave. Please don’t leave,” I beg. My voice is panicky. Desperation takes over. I cling to his arms, trying to get him to look at me, but he shrugs me away. “Stay. Please stay. Stay here with me. I love you.” My words rush out, tumbling over each other. I just can’t stop them. “I know you’re my best friend, but I love you. I’m in love with you. I want to be with you, Ty. Give me a chance…give us a chance.” I reach slowly for his hand, needing to make some sort of contact, but he pushes me away. With his fingers tightly laced together, he places his hands on his head and paces in circles. "I know I'm asking a lot," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "I should have told you a long time ago, but I didn't, and I can't change that now." Tyson keep walking in circles, clenching and unclenching his fists. I take a hesitant step toward him. "I know that this is incredibly selfish of me. I know I'm asking you to give up everything but---" "I can't believe this is happening," he interrupts. I don't respond because I'm not given the chance. "How long, Harley? How long have you felt like this?" "Years." "Years?" he asks incredulously, his eyebrows arched. I nod my head, swallowing hard, suppressing the tears threatening to fall. His head drops down. His voice is quiet but full of curiosity. "Why now, Harley? Why not a year ago, a month ago, or hell, a week ago? Why now?" "Because I was scared. You're too important to me, Ty. " My voice cracks when I say his name and a fat tear streaks down my cheek. "I didn't want to risk our friendship. I didn't want to lose everything we have if you didn't feel the same way." I squeeze my eyes shut and hang my head in regret. I should have told him sooner, but I've come this far and I'm sure as hell not giving up now. Wiping away the wetness under my eyes, I step in Ty's path, preventing further pacing. "Would it have mattered? If I would have told you a year ago, a month ago, or a week ago . . . would it have mattered?" His eyes are downcast, and his lips are tilted in a frown. My chest tightens. My hand twitches, wanting to touch him, but I don't. "Yes," he whispers, looking up at me. "It would have mattered." "Then it matters now!" I snap. "If it would have mattered then, then it matters now. We can do this, Ty. You just have to take the chance. Please take the chance. Please," I beg. His emotions shift once again as anger and resentment visibly overtake the sadness. Reaching for his head, Ty grips his hair tightly and a deep growl rips from his throat. "Damn it, Harley." His voice is low and hard. My eyes widen in shock at the menacing glare he shoots at me. "What the fuck do you want me to say to that? You're doing this because I told you I'm leaving. Do you realize what you're asking? You're asking me to uproot my entire life. Do you know the work it took to transfer medical schools? And what about Brit?" His mouth parts and a look of horror overcomes his features. "Brit," he mumbles to himself. “Fuuuuuck. Brit was right.” He begins to mumble. I’m not sure if he is talking to himself or to me, but his words are like a punch to the gut. “Brit told me you had feelings for me. I didn’t listen. I defended you. I mean . . . I had hoped you did, but I didn't know. I told her she was wrong and that she was just jealous.” He looks up at me, eyes wide with shock. “But she was right. My god! All those times I left her to spend time with you . . .” His words drop off but quickly resume. “I told her there was no way you felt that way about me because you're my best friend.” He stops pacing and turns to face me, but his eyes are trained on the ground. Silence consumes us. Tension fills the air. “Ty, say something please,” I whisper. “Please tell me what you’re thinking. You’re my best friend, and I know you feel like I’m just throwing this at—" “But you are,” he interrupts loudly. “You are just throwing this at me, Harley!” I grip my hands tightly in front of me, wringing my fingers together in pure desperation. My heart slams in my chest. I know he feels the same way. He loves me. I saw it in his eyes. I just have to convince him that this is right. I wait patiently for him to continue, but when his hard gaze lands on me, my hope vanishes into thin air. My heart plummets to the ground. His lips are set in a firm line, and his eyebrows are dipped low in disappointment. “I’m with Brit,” he states firmly. “And I’m not going to hurt her; I can’t." He shakes his head. "She hasn’t done anything to deserve that…to deserve this," he says, waving his hand between the two of us. The pacing continues, back and forth in front of me until he finally removes his hands from his hair and places them on his hips. He turns to face me. There is a finality in his eyes that causes my resolve to crumble. I throw a hand up to my mouth, but I can't stop the sob that slips out. “Harley . . .” He trails off; his eyes are searching mine, for what, I’m not sure. “Harley, I can't do this. I'm sorry, but I just can't.” He pauses again, taking a second to sit down on the table. Placing his elbows on his knees, he bends forward and lowers his head. His voice is so soft that I almost don’t hear his final words. “We need to step back and take a break. From our friendship, Harley . . . We need to take a step back from our friendship.” I cry, and my body trembles. "No." My hands shake, and my mind works furiously to find a way to fix this. "No," I repeat desperately. "We don't need to take a step back. We need to move forward." I crouch down in front of Ty and grip his fisted hands in mine. "Please give me a chance. I know you're scared, but I promise, you won't regret it; you won't regret me." My eyes flicker across his face, pleading with him to take this leap. He exhales loudly and raises his face. “I can’t believe you're doing this to me. To Brit. Now. When I’m supposed to be moving to New York in a week. A fucking week, Harley!” Standing abruptly, his eyes lock onto something over my left shoulder, but I can’t tear my eyes away from him to find out what it is. “I can’t do this. I won't do it.” His voice is laced with decisiveness and a cold shiver of realization trembles through me. “I’m leaving next week for New York. With Brit. It's best for my relationship with her if you and I don’t talk . . . at least not until I can sort through all of this in my head.” His words hit me like a knife to the chest. He can't mean that. He's just shocked. "We can't be friends?" I hiccup, gripping my chest where I'm sure there's a gaping whole from his words. “Please don’t do this. Please, Ty! I’m sorry.” I grab his arm, forcing him to face me. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me, forget I said anything. I can’t lose you, I won’t lose you.” My tears fall freely. I’ve stopped wiping them away; there’s just no point. I startle when I hear someone behind me clear their throat. I turn slowly and find myself face-to-face with Brit. I’m not sure how long she's been standing there, but based on the look on her face, I’d say she pretty much knows what’s going on. Ty moves to walk around me, and I quickly grab his wrist. “Please Ty,” I whisper. Gently removing my hand, he reaches for Brit, entwining his fingers with hers. Without a glance back, they walk in the door. Slumping down onto the picnic table, I close my eyes, praying that this was all a bad dream and I just have to wake up. Realistically, I know it’s not, but there is always that small window of time right after something horrible happens that you feel like if you hope and pray hard enough you can actually rewind time and undo the damage. I grip my hair tightly at the scalp and watch as my tears cascade off of my face and hit the table below. I'm not sure how long I sit but eventually I get up and pace the alley behind the bar, trying to wrap my head around everything that just happened. What on earth have I done? He can’t seriously end our friendship. He can’t really walk away. There is way too much history for him to do that. Right? A gravelly slurred voice interrupts my thoughts. "Harley? That you?" The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I squint through my tears, trying to see who the drunken voice belongs to. Relief washes over me at the familiar face. I try to respond, but a deep sob comes out instead. He moves to my side quickly. "You're crying," he says, putting a comforting hand to my back. "Please don't cry." I normally wouldn't get this close to someone who isn't Tyson or Quinn, but right now I need the familiarity. I need the comfort that he offers, and in a desperate move, I wrap my arms around his middle, bury my face in his chest, and cry like I've never done before. The stench of smoke deeply rooted in his shirt fills my nostrils and the stale odor of liquor makes me sick as he whispers calming words in my ear. I should be worried. I've heard that he's gotten into some heavier drugs recently, but I know I'm safe. We stand there for several minutes, neither of us saying a word. His body sways slightly to the left. I grip him tightly to steady his balance and raise my face to his. "Are you okay?" His red-rimmed , glossy eyes lock onto mine, but he doesn't respond. I watch his expression change. A shiver runs up my spine as goose bumps take over my body. "Are you okay?" I repeat, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. Loosening my grip, I attempt to step back, but his arms tighten around me. "You always smelled so good," he slurs, eyes roaming my face. His hand slides up my back and to my neck. He wraps his fingers around my hair and tugs, forcing my head to snap back. Leaning into me, he runs his nose up the side of my neck and my stomach churns. "I would have given you anything. But I wasn't good enough for you, was I?" I don't respond and he yanks my hair again, causing my back to arch. "Was I?" he seethes. I’ve never been in a situation where I feel legitimately uncomfortable in the presence of another human being, but right here . . . in this second . . . I am terrified. Adrenalin courses through my body. My heart slams violently in my chest and my muscles tense as terror washes through me. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut. A sharp pain rips through my scalp. My face smacks the ground, and a metallic taste fills my mouth. Please God. Please let me survive this.  

 

This is my type of book.  A story that gives you goosebumps and has you eagerly anticipating things as they unfold.  I felt the emotions channeled through the authors words. Her words compelled my heart to feel. Where We Belong is a poignant tale of friendship, heartbreak, redemption love lost and found and above all forgiveness. This book was a touch angsty and riddled with sweet and spicy moments.

FYI-This book grabs your complete attention in the first two chapters!!!!! It's a OMG what the F....! Moment....

"A lot happened after you left Tyson. I was in a dark place for a long time."

Harley has deep rooted feelings that go beyond her friendship for Tyson.  Unfortunately the timing is off and Tyson has obligations.  Their friendship is severed leaving them to move in different directions.  Harley most move on and face her challenges without her best friend. She endured the unthinkable. This is a hard time for her.  Thankfully she has two good friends Quinn and Levi.

"My Harley the girl I grew up with. The girl I remember before I left. Open, honest, sweet as hell. Theurge to touch her is too strong and I can't fight it." -Tyson

Tyson is gorgeous. He's in med school and uprooting his life. Leaving behind his feelings for Harley.   It's not easy for him but he does what he thinks is best at the time.  Well actions have consequences - dude!  He returns home later and seeks what he should never of left behind. He's not expecting what he discovers.......

Will they pick up where they left off?  Who are they now after all these years? Find out now in this bittersweet story of hope, healing and heartache.

"This is right. It's so right I can feel it in my bones. I can feel it in my soul. It's bone deep." - Haley

K.L. Grayson is a talented writer. She knows how to get the reader invested and hold their attention. She can pack emotion where some authors miss the mark. Her   characters have depth and are believable.  You root for them and endure their pain. Her supporting cast helped carry the tale too. This story has heart and I am a sucker for a book with heart and soul. I give Where We Belong 5  BEAUTIFUL STARS....  I will follow her next release that's for sure. I heard first hand  it will be about Levi. Remember him? Wink Wink!

K.L. Grayson will be hitting the lists I'm sure... It's  just a matter of time- mark my words!

Have you ever read a book that flows so effortlessly that it just draws you in and makes you feel part of the story?? That it makes you feel like you are one of the girls, hanging out, being an actual participant in the novel and you feel their emotions, you feel the anger, the hurt, and the love that comes jumping off the pages.  Well this is exactly how KL Grayson made me feel in Where We Belong.  I was immediately drawn in to the story and loved her writing style.  It’s all the right things I look for in a novel: humor, wit, angst, and romance.   I cannot wait to see what else is in store from Ms. Grayson as I am now a huge fan and will be following her career closely!  This novel is told in dual POV and is a complete story.

Harley and Tyson have always been best friends, for as long as they could remember it had always been Harley and Tyson hanging out being just friends.  But something changed with Harley when she was thirteen.  What was friendship turned to love but instead of expressing herself and possible rejection, she was always there as a friend to Tyson. Through high school and college, she sat back and watched him date and was there to always pick up the pieces, that is until Brit came along.  Tyson and Brit were both Pre-Med students and when Tyson dropped the bomb that they were moving together to New York to attend med school, Harley knew it was now or never. She needed to tell him how she felt.

“He knew all my secrets, lies and insecurities.  But that isn’t the case anymore.  He doesn’t know my biggest secret- he doesn’t know I’m in love with him.” - Harley

When she finally gets the courage to tell him, his reaction is not what she expected.  He has a sense of loyalty to Brit and the commitment he made to attend medical school and cannot change it.  I so wanted to shake Tyson and maybe give him a good slap or two! Gawh…. Harley just bared her soul to him and confessed her love and he breaks her heart!  What happens next changes everything for Harley and what goes from a night of heartbreak turns into a night from hell. 

Fast forward five years…   Tyson returns to their home town after finished medical school.  He is ready to start his residency at a local hospital where it turns out Harley is a nurse.  They broke off all contact since that night but now Tyson knows that he made the biggest mistake of his life that night and he’s come back to win Harley back and he will stop at nothing to get her back.

“For the first time in five years, I felt my heart come alive at the prospect of making her mine.  I was nothing short of excited about the opportunity to reclaim the girl I fell in love with so many years ago.” – Tyson

Tyson soon discovers there are secrets from Harley’s past he doesn’t know about.  Harley has tried desperately to hid the truth about that night as she knows it will change everything with her and Tyson.  When Tyson unexpectedly learns the truth, he is devastated.  I was at a point in the book where I was like, finally after all this time they will work things out that they deserve to be happy together and this will work.  Then boom… the bomb is dropped and he learns the truth about the night he left and it’s heartbreaking!!!  I am like nooooo!!!  Please let him see the truth and not be clouded by his emotion and his sense of loyalty!!! I so am rooting for them to have their happily ever after!! Harley has been so much, don’t let this happen!

“I’m stuck in my own hell, where the memories of my past are battling my future trying to take over-and there isn’t a damn thing I can do to stop it.” –Harley

Can Harley can Tyson’s love be strong enough to get past the heartbreak and lies?  Can Tyson accept the truth or will he turn his back on Harley for the second time in his life?  You will have to check it out to find out! This is definitely one of my favorites reads of this year and even though this is a standalone, it looks like this will be a series with secondary characters (who I absolutely loved and adored!) getting their own stories.   I so cannot wait for those ones and will be chopping at the bit to get my hands on those puppies!!   5 huge stars from me!

I absolutely loved this amazing story!! It just about broke my heart when Harley confessed her love for Tyson, only to have him feel the same way but walk away. I wanted to yell at my kindle and demand to know why she waited so long, that she could have had him for so long but was too afraid to act on her feelings. And Tyson, he was so completely in love with her but was too afraid to uproot the life that he had put into place with Brit to turn it all around for Harley. The night at the bar turned into a nightmare for Harley in more ways then one, she lost her best friend and the love of her life and was raped all in one fell swoop. My heart broke for what she went through. But I loved that she looked at Max as the silver lining in an extremely horrifying situation. And what an absolutely cute kid he was, the way that K.L Grayson wrote his character had me laughing on more than one occasion and he was the perfect little boy to add a lightness to this incredible love story. The banter between Quinn and Harley reminded me of conversations that I have had with my best friend and I loved how no matter what they supported each other until the very end, regardless of what life was throwing their way. And Levi...I gravitated toward Levi as a character more than Tyson. I wanted him to find love as well, because he was an amazing person, picking Harley up off the floor when she didn't think she could move on from what happened and filling a void in Max's life that the little boy didn't even know he had. When Tyson and Harley are finally reacquainted after 5 years apart I expected a struggle to find their footing with each other and that was exactly how it played out, making it completely realistic to me, I could totally see it happening in my head just the way it was written. I was glad that through many misunderstandings and feelings not expressed, Harley and Tyson were able to finally come clean about the past and look toward a future together. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! This is a MUST READ!

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, Missouri. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palm of six dirty little hands, and when the days is over and those six little hands have been washed and tucked into bed . . . and the stars align, you can find K.L. typing away furiously on her computer. K.L. has a love for alpha males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings . . . and not particularly in that order.  

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Two Signed Books and One Twenty Dollar Gift Card

 

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Blog Tour: Let Love Be by Melisa Collins

What would bring you happiness in a world that was suddenly empty?

For Lucy Crane, the answer is simple: her daughter. When her husband is killed in a tragic accident, Lucy loses her desire to live, but only one thing keeps her going – her unborn daughter. Focusing on being a mother helps Lucy cope with her loss, but kids grow up and they leave home, eventually. Eighteen years after losing her first and only love, Lucy is faced with the opportunity to find the happiness for which she’s always longed. Her own fears become her worst enemies as she learns how to embrace love once again. 

Evan Donovan is also facing his own struggles. Forced to retire from the FDNY because of lung damage caused by 9/11, Evan moves to upstate New York where he hopes to find a little peace and quiet. Old habits die hard, and Evan’s hero complex and survivor’s guilt constantly remind him of how difficult it is to be vulnerable. But for the first time in his life, he’s tired of being alone. 

Drawing strength from one another, Lucy and Evan discover how beautiful it is to let love be a part of their lives.

AMAZON/B&N/KOBO/iBOOKS

The I-beam swings haphazardly in the clouds. Teetering and tottering in the crystal-blue sky, it’s the perfect juxtaposition of artificial and natural – steel illuminated by the sun. Over a ton of metal effortlessly cascades through the air on the whim of a crane. It almost looks like a graceful ballet dancer as it swirls and twists, dips and dives. It’s mesmerizing, actually.

And then disaster strikes.

A deafening crack of a snapped chain sounds through the once peaceful air. The lively chatter of construction workers and architects instantly morphs into chaotic screams. Everyone runs, seeking cover from the impending doom.

As the massive beam plummets to the ground, people scramble, frantically grabbing others along the way to pull them to safety. It all happens so quickly. In the blink of an eye, it seems as if everyone will escape unscathed.

Until they don’t.

The beam changes direction, up ending itself. Head architect, Jimmy Crane, exits the shell of the building. Hardhat on and earplugs in, he’s always one to follow procedure to make sure that his work site is safe. His eyes are pulled away from the clipboard of today’s itinerary as the shadow of a passing figure flashes before him.

His eyes are drawn skyward. The sun blinds him; his sunglasses are tucked into his front pocket rather than perched across his nose. He doesn’t have a second to process anything.

Crushed beneath the massive weight of the steel beam, the last thought that passes through the mind of Jimmy Crane, is of his wife, Lucy and his unborn daughter.

Lucy Crane is consumed with decorating the freshly painted nursery. If ever there was a woman more excited to meet her first child, well, Lucy’s jubilance would put her to shame. Purple frills and pink lace don every surface of the room. It’s a princess’ heaven and a mom-to-be’s dream come true.

Lucy sits on the floor, sorting through baby gifts from her shower last weekend. Holding a glittery onesie with an attached pink tutu up against her eight-and-a-half-month pregnant belly, she whispers quietly to her unborn daughter, “Maybe one day you’ll be a ballerina…Melody.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and taps a finger against her lip as she contemplates one of her husband, Jimmy’s, top name choices. “Hmm, no that just doesn’t sound right.” Still going through baby names, Lucy and Jimmy haven’t been able to find one upon which they both agree.

Last night, as they lay in bed, they settled on a short list of names they each liked. Lucy was leaning toward more trendy names – Jessica, Ashley or Emily. Jimmy, on the other hand, wanted his daughter to have a less popular name; she was one of a kind, after all. Well, how could Lucy argue with that? From the moment she’d told her husband of less than a year that she was pregnant, he had absolutely radiated with love and joy. Conceding on his name preference was a small way that she could repay him for how he’s taken care of her through the entire pregnancy.

They’d been high school sweethearts, and in the seven years that they’d been together, they’d shared a lifetime’s worth of love. When Jimmy would place his lips up against Lucy’s swollen belly, and talk to their child, she could swear that her heart would burst at the overly full feeling of love.

On a mission to finish her sorting all of the baby clothes, Lucy snaps out of her happy musings of her husband and their baby. But when she comes across a purple sequined outfit, she can’t help put place it across her belly and talk to her daughter once more. “This is going to look absolutely perfect on you…Melanie.”

The name rolls off her tongue and sings to her heart. It was one of Jimmy’s first suggestions, liking “M” names more than any other. Lucy had originally dismissed it, but now, sitting quietly in her soon-to-be-born daughter’s room, the name seems to fit perfectly. Smiling broadly, she says the name once more, “Melanie.” Rubbing her belly, Lucy talks to the kicking baby who is rolling around inside of her. “Do you like that name, little Miss Melanie.” Another kick and roll. “Well then, we’ll just have to ask Daddy what he thinks when he gets home.” Another kick widens Lucy’s bright smile. “Okay now, Melly Belly.” Lucy chuckles softly at the ridiculous nickname she’s just given her daughter. A smile spreads across her face because she knows Jimmy will be pleased with her sudden turn around on his top name choice.

With numb and wobbly legs, Lucy stands to put the piles of clothes away when she hears a knock at the door. Checking her watch, she realizes that it’s past four in the afternoon. She’s been so lost in her baby daydreams she didn’t realize she hadn’t heard from Jimmy all day. Knowing that he is extremely busy trying to manage this massive project, she immediately dismisses her concerns. No phone calls during the day means that he is guaranteed to chew her ear off at dinner. The man loves his building, that’s for sure.

Brushing her hands over her trendy and modern dark-blue maternity shirt, Lucy flattens out the wrinkles that set in as she was draping onesie after onesie across her belly.

As she peeks through the curtain that hangs across the top window of the door, she smiles cheerfully at her husband’s best friend and co-owner of Crane Building Associates, Ray Richards.

“Hey, Ray. What’s going on?” Lucy steps to the side allowing Ray to enter into the small foyer. Closing the door behind him, she continues talking. “Jimmy isn’t home from work yet, but come on in. Can I get you a beer?” Lucy’s bright voice does nothing to lighten the darkness that is cast over Ray’s face.

Ray shakes his head, declining the beer. He looks into Lucy’s bright blue eyes, and says, “We need to talk, Lucy.” His voice is even and curt. Ignoring her stunned reaction to his cold demeanor, Ray walks past Lucy into the sunken den of his best friend’s new home - a home to which he’ll never return.

Ray sinks into the old, beat-up couch and memories flood his head and heart. This is the couch that they had in their first apartment. It was a rat-hole of a place, but somehow Ray and Jimmy managed to make it work. The couch is a hand-me-down from Jimmy’s parents and has survived remarkably well through their college years.

Burying his head into his hands, Ray can no longer contain the sobs that have been threatening to swallow him whole since he pulled in the freshly-paved driveway.

Lucy waddles over to the couch and, not-so-gracefully, lowers herself onto the cushions. Tenderly wrapping her arm around his broad shoulders, she says, “What’s wrong, Ray? I’m getting a little worried here.”

It’s not unusual for Ray to stop over, but usually Jimmy is there getting ready for a golf outing or a ball game. There’s something about this particular visit that just feels…wrong.

Her concern only makes him cry more. He’s crying for the loss of his best friend. He’s crying for Lucy, who he’s come to love as his own best friend through the years. He’s crying for the baby that Jimmy will never get to meet – for the baby that Lucy will now have to raise on her own.

Twisting in his seat, he faces Lucy and wipes the tears from his eyes. Lucy’s face pales as all of the blood rushes from it. She can tell that this is not a routine visit on Ray’s part.

“Lucy…” Ray’s words catch in his throat, stuck behind the ball of emotion that’s been lodged there since he witnessed his best friend being crushed by tons of steel.

Lucy covers her mouth with her hands, but her gasp is still audible. “No, no, no, no….” It’s the only syllable her brain can manage. She’s shaking her head wildly as if it will keep away the horrific news that is so clearly etched across Ray’s tanned and youthful face.

Ray wraps his arm around her slumped shoulders and pulls Lucy into a tight squeeze. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. There was an accident and…it’s Jimmy. He’s gone, Lucy.”

With those words, her world changes instantly. No longer able to contain her anguish, her chest heaves in sobs as tears pour from her eyes.

How? Why? What? All of these questions swarm her brain, but the bottom line is none of it matters. Bits of Ray’s strained explanation filter into her consciousness, but she can’t make any sense of it. Something about a beam, about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, about wanting to come here to tell her himself, about not wanting her to have to drive to the coroner’s office alone, it’s all a garbled mess, because none of it is important. The only meaningful piece of information is that Jimmy, her Jimmy, the love of her life, is gone.

Visions that she will never be able to erase start filling her mind. In a vain attempt to escape them, Lucy shoots up from the couch and begins frantically pacing the room. But she’s too weak to stand for long. As pain, anguish and loss eat her alive, she crumples to the floor and wraps her arms around her round belly. Again, the only words she can form are, “No, no, no…”

Unable to let her suffer alone, Ray moves next to her on the floor and pulls her into his arms. Cooing softly to her, he tries to calm her. It’s a vain attempt at peace that will never come.

It’s always been Jimmy. He was her first friend, her first love, and now he’s her first true loss.

Calling on an inner strength that she doesn’t truly feel, Lucy tries to stand, but her body rejects the attempt. All she can do is let the sadness swallow her whole, and hope that when it spits her back out, she’ll be alive and whole enough to take care of Melanie.

Do you believe in a second chance in love? Can a person have more than one true love?? After reading Let Love Be my answer is YES! This is such an amazing love story that shows that doesn’t matter the age, love will find you if you just let it be. Even though this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone and it is a complete story told in multiple POV's.

If you have read the Love Series, you know Lucy as Melanie’s Mom and the closest thing to a Mom Maddy has ever had. She has sacrificed her life for the girls. Her husband died while she was pregnant with Melanie and she has spent every minute making sure that Melanie was first. Now the girls are away at college, with a little nudging from her girlfriend Linda she thinks it’s time to start dating again and open herself up to a relationship.

Evan is a hunkie New York fire fighter that has had his own share of loss. He’s been content in life and just focuses on work. He doesn’t do relationships and he’s been fine with it until he meets Lucy at a funeral. Yeah I know… a funeral. They both recognize a connection they have but are hesitant to start something. Instead of going at it like rabbits which we sometimes see in romance books. They take their time. They are more cautious about getting into a relationship but when they do decide to give it a shot… wow… its hot! I’ve always said Melissa Collins is the master at writing a great sex scene and this is not expection.

I loved every minute of this book and feel in love with Evan and Lucy. Sometimes love isn’t the easy road we think it’s going to be. Sometimes who you think is your soul mate may not be the one planned out for you. When you are young you think you will have the perfect marriage and the perfect family until the unthinkable happens. You are used to putting everyone else’s needs in front of your own. Neither Evan or Lucy or selfish people, they are always putting others first. Now it’s their time to have the great love story and this it is! This book will touch and warm your heart like no other book has. I highly recommend reading this along with all the Love Series books. They are all fabulous in their own rights.

Melissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream. 
Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born. 

http://www.melissacollinsauthor.com

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Twitter: @mcollinsauthor

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Blog Tour Review: Conspire by Erin Noelle and S.E. Hall

"He wants answers. 

She wants freedom. 

The search is over...when they Conspire."

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; 

ensure justice for those being crushed."

When I heard a book name Conspire was coming out that was being written by 2 of my all time favorite authors, I was jumping for joy!  And boy oh boy did they deliver!  I would give this book four stars.  This book was the whole package. There was sexy steamy scenes, mystery, angst, jealousy, love, hate, humor and soooo many more emotions.  I am so happy I took a chance with this book.  It is told in dual POV's of Graham(aka Bryce) and Jocelyn.  It is a bumpy ride but you do eventually get a earned HEA.

Graham (AKA Bryce) has just faced the worst tragedy of his life, the loss of a his brother.  His brother's death was ruled as a suicide but Graham knows his brother better than that and he is set out to prove this was a murder not a suicide. Graham is very smart and will find the answers he is looking for and no games will be played but his own.

I have approximately three hours of driving left, likely closer to two with my lead foot, to savor silence, the calm before the storm.  For tomorrow, the games begin, and I don't mean the ones someone had sloppily played on my brother.  No, I mean the kind I play... and win.-- GRAHAM (BRYCE)

What he finds while he is under cover searching out the truth is more than he ever expected.  He meets Jocelyn and she will turn his life as he knows it upside down.  He can't let her distract him from his goal, so he will try to refrain but that will only last so long until he looses himself in her completely.  

"This weekend, no rules, no should or have to.  Only me, you , and want to or can we...sound good?"-- GRAHAM (BRYCE)

He has to keep his secret from Jocelyn for now and by going by is sue do name is the only way to keep her safe and him on the right track.. but when secrets come out and truths are finally revealed will Jocelyn still want anything to do with him?  Or will she never trust him again?

Jocelyn works for her fathers company but has always wanted to be a lawyer.  She has always put her wants behind so that she can please her family, even to the point that she suffers in a relationship with Hunter her father's right hand man.  But when she finally realizes that enough is enough and breaks it off with Hunter, she will truly find out what it is to finally live. 

Call it selfish, call it arrogant, call it whatever the hell you want, but my happiness and the life I want to live isn't going to be disregarded, discounted, or dismissed in order to satisfy my parents or some guy who devotes the minimum amount of effort and attention to keep me content.-- JOCELYN

 She meets a sexy stranger that comes to work at her company and he sets her body and mind on fire.  She is determined to find out more about Bryce and nothing will stand in her way.... except for maybe Bryce himself.  

"No," she crawls on her knees to me, and in her signature move, covers my mouth with her fingers.  "I understand you and I are new, maybe not destined, but you are the only spark I've felt in as long as I've known what a spark is.  Sure there's obstacles, but I know you feel it too, Bryce."-- Jocelyn

When she finally gets Bryce to take a chance with her she will see that Hunter and her Dad aren't all that they seem and when her life gets destroyed by a secret that she never knew existed.. she won't know who to trust.  Will Bryce be able to help her through the pain????

"Ill be at your place tonight, seven sharp, to eat.  You will be wearing that outfit, and by the end of the night, the only thing you'll be mad about is that I only have one dick to fuck you stupid with."-- GRAHAM (BRYCE)

You need to pick up this book like yesterday!  Thanks for another great story and I can't wait for more from both authors!

"Appearances, however, can most definitely be deceiving, because internally, I feel like a chaotic mess, a bird caged from birth set free with no idea how to fly, much less to where."

Working for her families company JCC Pharmaceuticals, from the outside it looked like Jocelyn Craig, director of Public Relations had it all; heiress to a multi-million dollar pharmaceutical company that was on the verge of a break-through drug approval, a fiance who seemed to be perfect and a best friend slash personal assistant who was always in her corner.  Appearances can be completely deceiving, and Jocelyn knew that better than anyone.  Finding it easier to do as her father wished, she gave up her dreams of law school to work for his company, a place where she wasn't really taken all that seriously.  She was engaged to a man who she didn't love and more often then not, couldn't stand the sight of.  Making the best of the life that she had, she had accepted that this was her happiness; that is until one fateful day when Bryce Griggs walked into her office for an interview.

Bryce Griggs or more accurately Graham Harrison was the epitome of the phrase appearances can be deceiving.  Working for the NSA in technology information, he takes a leave of absence when his younger brother Devon commits suicide.  Determined that his younger brother would never take his own life but was instead murdered; Graham sets out to prove his theory correct by immersing himself in Devon's world; down to landing a job at JCC the company he was interning at right before his death.  With an intelligence that so few possess in computer information, he creates a persona that will get him in the door, hoping to gain access to the information that everyone else seems to be ignoring.  He never planned to fall for the "boss lady" and the more time he spends with her, the more he hopes that she will be able to forgive him for the lies that he has told her in order to get justice for his brother.

"Even apart, we always carried a 'piece' of each other on us, no matter how far our paths took us away.  I was, and still am, my brother's keeper, and will die proving that if necessary. Never failing him again."

Working together with Devon's roommate Reagan, Graham begins to piece together the clues that Devon left him, clues that only he would be able to unlock as his big brother.  The closer that he comes to the truth, the closer him and Jocelyn get, which leaves him wondering what he will be left with at the end of this mission.

Erin Noell and S.E. Hall spin a tale of deceit that one can only imagine in their novel Conspire.  They keep you on the edge of your seat with each page that you turn wondering how it will turn out.  Was Devon really murdered or did he commit suicide like it seemed from the outside?  Would Graham be able to keep his whits about him when he was distracted by his beautiful J every night?  Would he gain the justice that he yearned to obtain for his brother?  This book was a 4 star read for me and I would highly recommend it to others who love a story filled with love, with super steamy sex scene and a mystery that is uncovered layer by layer until the very end.

  

 Can something good come from something so tragic??  In Conspire, we get a thrilling tale of who done it and a romance that brews in the wake of it all.  I am always curious how authors co-write a novel but I think SE Hall and Erin Noelle did an outstanding job with this one.  It kept me on the edge of my seat as the mystery unraveled.  I was so rooting for Hayden and Jocelyn to find their way through the lies and cover ups to find their happy place.  I seriously loved about 90% of the book but felt the ending was rushed and the story unraveled so quickly.  One can say this is a story about their love and not the story of a mass cover up.  But for me, I felt like the story was so developed and then within a chapter or two, all was uncovered.  But with that… I will say I did really enjoy the story and the hotness that went along with it!  The novel is told in dual POV and is a complete story.

Graham just learned the news that his brother, Devon, committed suicide.  Knowing his brother so well, he knows this is impossible so he travels to Philadelphia to uncover the truth behind the alleged suicide.  He quickly learns that his brother was interning at a large pharmaceutical company, JCC Pharmaceutical, and volunteering at a clinic where drug trials from this company were being held.  Since he works for the NSA he has the resources to uncover the mystery behind his brother’s death and know he needs to start with JCC. He assumes the identity of rival competitor’s employee and get hired at JCC.   He recruits his brother’s roommate Reagan in the process and her quick wit and dedication will prove to be an asset. 

What he didn't expect was to fall for the daughter of the CEO of JCC, Jocelyn.  She is head of Marketing and is on the board at JCC. Jocelyn is fresh out of a relationship with the CFO of JCC, the one she is expected by her father to marry and run the family business. Tired of his egotistical ways, she finally tells him she's had enough.  When Graham assumes the identity of Bryce and an employee of JCC, their relationship grows hot and fast!

"My appetite for her is infinite.  I'm a starving man at an endless buffet when she's in my arms." - Bryce

"The things he says, so much gentleman, the missionary-style account you met at a church picnic and know always be good to you.  But  the way he says them, the indecent, unfairly gorgeous body, mouth, and face they come out of... like the Adonis of billboards you refuse to believe actually exists but would let fuck you six ways to church on Sunday if he did." Jocelyn

When Bryce starts to discover the truth is he able to get Jocelyn on his side?? The business of high profile pharmaceutics is big business and some will stop at nothing to get to the top.  Even committing murder.  Will Bryce discover the truth and what will happen when he discloses it to Jocelyn? Can Jocelyn look past the lies and forgive Bryce/Graham for hiding his true identity?  On the flip side, can Bryce/Graham trust Jocelyn... it is her company that he is working to bring down?  This novel will hold onto you and not let go until the end!

She giggles and kisses my lips softly. “I live here, so I’m not escaping, frowny-face. I need to use the bathroom.” She wrestles out from underneath my hold, stretching her arm to the chair beside the bed. Sitting up on the edge, she slips on a satin robe before standing.

“Why are you covering up that body, babe? I was already hard waiting to watch you go,” I tease…except not at all teasing.

“What?” She glances over her shoulder with a sassy grin. “You don’t like it?” She looks at her silky attire and runs her hands over the robe enticingly. “I’ll have you know, I’ve been told pink is my color.” Her mouth turns down subtly the second the words escape; a faraway sadness ghosting across her eyes for a fleeting second before she quickly dismisses the thought away and fakes a smile.

A surge of nausea consumes me, a shiver elicited with the chill that creeps up my spine, the unfair devil of irony dousing me in frigid shame and guilt.

It’s her—my Jocelyn—was Devon’s…fascination, his ‘I hope she feels the same.’

I just made love to the woman my little brother never even got a chance to ask on a date.

 

S.E. Hall is the author of the Amazon Best Selling Evolve Series, Emerge, Embrace, Entangled (novella) and Entice as well as the bestselling stand-alone NA Romance, Pretty Instinct. She also co-wrote Stirred Up, an erotic short story with her CP and friend, Author Angela Graham and is honored to be a part of the USA Today and NYT Best Selling Devour box set. S.E., which stands for Stephanie Elaine, resides in Arkansas with her husband of 18 years and 3 beautiful daughters of the home, and one married daughter who graced her with two beautiful grandchildren. When not in the stands watching her ladies play softball, she enjoys reading and writing and the occasional trip to the casino. She's also clutch at Baggo, when it's warm outside, and definitely the woman to pick on your side for some Flip Cup!

 

Erin Noelle is a Texas native, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. While earning her degree in History at the University of Houston, she rediscovered her love for reading that was first instilled by her grandmother when she was a young child. A lover of happily-ever-afters, both historical and current, Erin is an avid reader of all romance novels. In 2013, she published the Book Boyfriend Series, which included books Metamorphosis, Ambrosia, Euphoria, and Timeless, and thus far in 2014, has published When the Sun Goes Down, a contemporary romance novel, and Transparent, a romantic suspense novel. Her books have been a part of the USA Today Bestselling list and the Amazon and Barnes & Noble overall Top 100.

 

    

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