22 January 2014

The Eve Genome by Joanne Brothwell Guest Post & Giveaway


The Eve Genome by Joanne Brothwell
Release Day: October 24, 2013
Synopsis: Adriana Sinclair is an evolutionary mystery. Her blood type matches nothing in modern medicine. When a failed blood transfusion kills her twin sister, Adriana discovers she's a throwback to an original human that scientists have coined the "Mitochondrial Eve." Adriana is shocked to learn her strange blood type is her family's most protected secret. Working with spotty clues and partial facts, Adriana is determined to find the truth. Still reeling from her sister's death and the subsequent realization of her family's secret, Adriana struggles to put her life back in order and focus on her college studies. She finds comfort in Kalan, the new guy whose striking albino features and friendly manner keep her distracted from the wreck her life has become. Kalan is exactly what she needs right now, even if he does seem a bit too interested in Adriana's mysterious bloodline...


Meet The Author:
Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis.Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain. 

Nicknames are something Joanne has in abundance; most notably “Grumpy Bunny” (her husband), and “Princess with a Sailor’s Mouth” (her friends). She’s known to daydream, and ever since grade school has been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, Joanne has an alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so loudly (and incessantly) she just can’t hear anything else!

Joanne is thrilled to see her alternate universe finally become real with the publication of her novel, Stealing Breath, and her prequel novella, Vicarious. Now, with the sequel Silencing Breath on the way, you can be rest assured you will see much more of Joanne’s writing in the future, as those characters in her head, having tasted the sweet freedom of release, simply refuse to be silenced.


Guest Post:
The pros and cons of being a writer
by Joanne Brothwell

It is fun to express creativity. It is crucial for me to have a creative outlet, a way to get the fire that burns inside of me out in a healthy, productive way. If I don’t have an expressive outlet, things can get very ugly. As in, Wicked witch of the West, ugly. In order to avoid such nastiness, I have always needed something to do to flex my artsy muscle. Early in life I wrote poems (lots of angsty teen stuff), painted pictures (always some sort of “deep” abstract art) or made something crafty (yes, tried scrapbooking. Hated it).

Then, four years ago, I discovered writing. Or, rather, I rediscovered it (the angsty poems, remember?) It was literally an almost cliché thing that happened (one night, I had a dream about a sparkly vampire… no wait. That wasn’t me) where I had a story idea in my head that I thought would make a great novel. I’ve come to discover that almost everyone in the world has a story in their head that they believe would make a great novel, but the difference between them and me is that I went ahead and wrote it.

I realized the absolute joy of creating fictional worlds and being an omnipotent god to my little characters, forcing them to bend to my will and torturing them, just for shits and giggles. I could make them as sexy and smouldering or dumb and dumpy as I wanted. I could decide how people would behave (or misbehave) and make them say things that I would never in a million years dream of saying, and in a way, live vicariously through my characters. It’s kind of like living in an amazing, made-just-for-me movie, but one that never has to end, unless I want it to.

Wow. I just realized how flaky I sound! Jeez. In real life I’m all substancy and thought-provoking and stuff, honest!

Now that I’ve mentioned the joys of writing, I should probably mention the drawbacks. Well, to start with, there’s the whole editing thing. Remember how I said I could make my characters do and say whatever I wanted? Yeah, well that doesn’t last long. As soon as you have an editor assigned to your manuscript, you can kiss your control goodbye. And if you get a nasty, bull-headed one, you’ll be missing most of your hair by the time they’re done with you.

Then there’s the promotion thing. Tooting your own horn feels…. Icky. We are told from an early age not to brag and show off, and then bam! We have to convince the world that our story is so cool and fun and entertaining that people should part with their hard-earned cash to read it. And um, that works, like, not at all.

Promotion is by far the absolute worst part of being a writer. Not only is it foreign for us artsy types, but if we’re also the typical introverted artiste, then we’re doubly screwed. Me and podiums don’t get along. We have a hate-hate relationship. ‘Nuff said.

Now that I’m two years into this whole self-promotion gig, I’ve learned a few things. Don’t spend money. If you have to spend money on anything, you aren’t going to see a return on your investment. Most of the things that “work” to sell your books are free anyway. So rather than spend your hard-earned cash on a crazy expensive “book blast” or advertisement, turn instead to the social media stuff that’s free and fairly easy to use, once you get the hang of it. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Tumblr, Google+ and Pinterest are my favorites.

Now that I’ve gotten to bitch and complain, let’s get back to the benefits of being a writer.
Something I wouldn’t have predicted is how much I enjoy being an indie author and publisher. After my first two traditionally published novels, Stealing Breath and Silencing Breath, I grew cynical and jaded about traditional publishing. I was doing a whole lot of work and seeing very meagre results. So I decided to try the Kindle platform to sell my self-published works. First, I uploaded The Forest of the Forsaken to Kindle and waited to see what happened. Predictably, nothing happened. So I used the kindle free promotion days and tweeted the crap out of it, and asked several free promotion sites to put it up on their websites. In five free days I had 11,000 downloads. I didn’t make a dime, but who cares? That was eleven thousand people that had my electronic book in their hands! From that moment on, I’ve never turned back.

These days, I’ve taken on all aspects of the publishing process. I write, format and upload the ebook to Kindle as well as design the cover. What I love about cover art is the control I have over what represents my novel to the world. The added benefit is my inner artsy fartsy gets an additional creative outlet. Amazingly, I can make an awesome-looking cover for dirt cheap using fotolia for affordable, professional images and picmonkey for simple, inexpensive photo editing.

I’m not saying I’ll never return to traditional publishing, but for now, I’m really hitting my groove with the kindle program. I’ve never been happier. I’m excited about writing and I’m far more committed to word count than I was before, because at the end of the day, if I don’t write and produce new content to upload to amazon, then I’m the one who loses out on the potential royalties. The other thing that has changed since my switch to indie publishing is that I’m far more invested in self-promotion. I choose platforms that work for me (blogging, facebook and twitter) and I go hard, focusing all my energy into connecting with people and engaging potential readers. Now, rather than draining my bank account and causing me endless stress, I’m happily tweeting away for free and managing to sell books while I’m fast asleep, dreaming of sparkly vampire.


Wait. That wasn’t me. 

Giveaway: 
Joanne was awesome enough to provide an e-book for giveaway! So for one lucky commenter you will get an e-copy of The Eve Genome. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment below about the book or her guest post, and don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you if you win!

21 January 2014

Coming Home Release Day Event


Coming Home by Priscilla Glenn
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Synopsis: Leah Marino hasn’t been on a date in two years. After discovering the man she loved had manipulated and deceived her, she refuses to even entertain the idea of a relationship. Instead, she focuses her attention on taking care of her family, a role she’s assumed since the death of her mother and the one place she knows her kindness won’t be taken advantage of again.

When a nostalgic trip back to her childhood home results in a chance encounter with Danny DeLuca, a smart-mouthed mechanic who’s as attractive as he is mysterious, Leah’s carefully cultivated walls begin to crumble. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Danny, despite his unreliable behavior and mixed signals.
But Danny has a secret…

One that could shake Leah’s already precarious foundation and bring her world crashing down around her. Suddenly, she’s faced with an incredibly difficult decision–is she willing to risk everything for the chance at finding the love she’s always wanted? Or are some obstacles just too big for the heart to overcome?

Meet The Author: 
Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English at the middle and high school levels for the past twelve years while moonlighting as a writer, mom, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.

If you catch her when she’s feeling sophisticated, she’ll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she’ll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry’s, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.
Glenn is the author of the contemporary romance novels Back to You, Emancipating Andie, and Coming Home.

Guest Post:
Favorite Quotes

1.  “Being with him, talking to him, was the emotional equivalent of bungee jumping. There was the freedom, the adrenaline, the exhilaration of the fall, only to have it come to an abrupt halt, roughly yanking her back in the direction from which she came.” –Leah

Priscilla: I love the image this evokes of Leah’s internal battle. When she first meets Danny, there’s something so freeing about being with him—but his unpredictability brings those “free falls” to an abrupt halt, leaving her wanting more.


2.  “Believe me, if given the opportunity to rock your world, there isn’t a hangover in existence that would prevent me from getting the job done thoroughly.” –Danny

Priscilla: Danny, Danny, Danny—I love it when you’re in a playful mood. Leah once accused you of working out of a handbook entitled How to Reduce Leah to a Besotted, Quivering Pile of Easy, but I’m thinking you could probably do that to just about any woman, handbook or not.


3.  “So if something seems too hard, princess, before you throw in the towel, you should always ask yourself, ‘Will the reward be worth the suffering?’” –Mr. Marino (Leah’s father)

Priscilla: I loved writing Leah’s relationship with her father, and this is one of my favorite scenes involving them. Without giving too much away, this conversation is a turning point for Leah, and these words from her father come in to play later in the novel.


4.  “The night he found your bracelet, he had this little glint in his eye. Like Christmas morning. Even better than finding it was finding his excuse to call.” –Catherine (Gram)

Priscilla: This scene between Leah and Catherine is another one of my favorites. They’re both very vulnerable at this point in the novel, and Catherine gives Leah a little insight into Danny. Plus, Catherine has this way of being profound and wise while still managing to be adorable and completely endearing.


5. “It’s hard to watch someone you care about suffer. But when you love someone, you do it. You do it without question or reservation. You do it because there’s no other option—because the thought of being without them is a hundred times more excruciating than bearing their burden.” –Leah

Priscilla: I think this a sentiment a lot of people will be able to relate to, and I love this line because it demonstrates Leah’s assertiveness and strength. Plus, even though it’s a simple concept, there’s something almost poetic about the way she says it.


6. “It’s gonna be an expensive evening for you. First, all the drinks you’ll have to buy her, and then the next forty years’ worth of Valtrex prescriptions.” –Holly to Jake


Priscilla: Ninety percent of what comes out of Holly and Jake’s mouths is either hilarious or completely inappropriate (or both). I love them because they provide comic relief to the story, but at the same time, they are incredible friends to Leah and Danny and end up guiding them at crucial points in the plot.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

16 January 2014

True Colors Cover Reveal


True Colors by Melissa Pearl
Release Date: February 16, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis: Caitlyn Davis always cruised through life, not being the type to ruffle feathers or involve herself in high school drama…until a chance encounter with a strange, homeless man changes everything.

Suddenly, Caitlyn has the ability to see behind people’s masks. She discovers that her life isn’t as simple as she imagined and her high school is filled with secrets…some very sinister ones.

Unable to ignore her new gift, Caitlyn embarks on a mission to learn why one of her friends now appears terrified, but masks her fear behind a bright, smiling veneer. Will Caitlyn’s new ability lead her into hot water? Or is her new found vision a blessing that will expose her friends’ true colors?

Her quest will lead Caitlyn to lose friends, stand up for those in need, and even find love.

At Palisades High School every face tells a story…


Meet The Author:
Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year. Unknown and Unseen (The Elements Trilogy) out now!

“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.”.

Author links:

What do you guys think of the book? Let me know below! :)

Destiny is 99 Cents!


Good Afternoon my lovely followers! I have a surprise for you today! Author Cindy Ray Hale in honor of the cover reveal of her new book Synchrony she is making the first book Destiny 99 Cents on Amazon!
How awesome is that? I went and got my copy last night because I seriously need to read the first book before the second comes out. So what are you waiting for? Go get it while the offer lasts from now until January 18!

Here is the link AGAIN
Want to know a little more about the book? Check out below!


Destiny by Cindy Ray Hale
Release Date: November 13, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Synopsis: Destiny Clark, a young Mormon girl living in Tennessee, is wildly infatuated with Isaac Robinson, the headmaster's son at her Baptist high school. When they're cast together in the school's production of Les Misérables, Destiny is horrified to find that she has to be publicly humiliated by acting out her true feelings of rejection onstage. 

As their rehearsals begin, Destiny realizes the unimaginable: Isaac has developed deep feelings for her despite their religious differences and the fact that he has a girlfriend. 

But will they be able to find their place amongst the backbiters of their ultra-conservative world?

Weaving around Destiny and Isaac's alternating viewpoints, Destiny is the first book in a series inspired by the characters of Les Misérables and explores heartbreak, self-discovery, intolerance, and love.


I hope you all enjoyed learning about this awesome deal! Let me know if you get it in the comments below or if you have already read this book. I'd love to know your thoughts!

15 January 2014

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, where we show our followers the book(s) we are currently waiting on!

My Book:


Vengeance by Megan Miranda
Release Date: February 13, 2014
Synopsis: Falcon Lake wants vengeance. And so, it seems, does someone else . . . An intense, heart-rending psychological thriller to accompany the chilling and seductive Fracture

When Decker drags his best friend Delaney’s lifeless body out of the frozen lake, he makes a deal: Anyone but her. Everyone but her. The lake releases her. It takes another . . .

All their friends blame Delaney for Carson’s death. But Decker knows the truth: Delaney is drawn to those who are dying, and she would have tried to help Carson.

Or so Decker believes until a body lies in front of him in a pool of water on his kitchen floor. Until he sees in Delaney’s eyes that she knew this would happen too – and she said nothing. Until he realises it isn’t the lake that is looking for revenge – Delaney is part of someone else’s plan.

This powerful and emotionally charged psychological thriller follows Megan Miranda’s stunning debut Fracture.


Why I Can't Wait? I read Fracture which is the first book in this series or trilogy I'm not sure. But either way I enjoyed the first book and I really want to know what happens next! :)


13 January 2014

Cover Reveal: All The Pretty Poses by M. Leighton

I use Grammarly's plagiarism checker because it's always good to be protected! online proofreader


All The Pretty Poses by M. Leighton
Synopsis: He never wanted to be a hero…until she needed him to be.

Strength…
It took Kennedy Moore years to put her life back together after Reese Spencer shattered it.  But she did.  Now, years later, strong and independent, she is in pursuit of a single dream—to dance with the Altman American Dance Theater.  Unfortunately, Kennedy is learning that a girl from nowhere with no money and no contacts might never be able to reach her goal.  

That is, until Reese reappears, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Kennedy just can’t refuse.  In exchange for working on his yacht for a few short weeks, he’ll get her an audition with the famous dance troupe.  All Kennedy has to do is keep her head down, work hard and resist Reese.  That sounds easy enough, right?

Weakness…
Reese doesn’t want to make it easy for Kennedy.  Seeing her again has started a fire in his blood—an unwelcome one.  It took him years to forget about her before, so this time he has a plan.  It’s simple:  Get Kennedy on his yacht, seduce her, get her out of his system, move on with his life.  That sounds easy enough, right? 

But the one thing Reese didn’t plan for was Kennedy herself—a girl so strong yet so broken, she makes him want to rescue her, to take care of her.  To save her.  Even if he has to save her from himself.

Meet The Author:
M. Leighton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Wild Ones and The Bad Boys romance trilogies.  She is a native of Ohio, relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she lets her mind wander to romantic settings with sexy Southern guys much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books.  When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.  

For more about M. Leighton, visit her website at www.MLeightonBooks.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@mleightonbooks.


Author Links:





Blog Tour: Stealing Promises by Brina Courtney




Stealing Promises by Brina Courtney
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Synopsis: Promises are made to be kept, never stolen. But that’s exactly what happened to Victoria Blaneand Levi Manor. Tragedy strikes their perfect relationship leaving Victoria struggling to overcome the darkness that threatens to bury her. 

With Victoria’s life in tatters she decides that running away is easier than dealing with her troubles. But when a friend finds her on the floor in her kitchen, she knows it’s time for a change.

Brighton Hanley knows what it’s like to lose someone. He knows what it’s like to be haunted by things that can never change. When he meets Victoria he recognizes the pain she’s trying to bury deep in her eyes. He knows she’s trying to run away, but he also knows that you can’t run forever. 

Victoria is drawn to Brighton in ways she never expected. He becomes her champion, her life line… her sunshine in the darkness. But is Victoria ready to let go of the past and grab on to her future? Or will she run away from Brighton before she can be hurt again?

Book Links:
Amazon
B&N

Meet The Author:
Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.





Author Links:

Website
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter

Guest Post:

The idea for this book:

I was really thinking one day about the hardships that teens and college students face without anyone knowing what’s really going on inside them. I have watched the waves of emotions crash around in older teens and I have seen friends in their twenties fall apart because of horrific emotional pain. But what if you never had to experience that in your own life? Would you understand what it felt like?

People say all the time their glad I didn’t sugarcoat anything in this story. They’re glad to see the real problems that Victoria faces.Readers say it’s hard to get through, and I can appreciate that.  Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy to write either. I shed probably more tears writing it then you did reading it. Just one of those books that really sink into your skin.

What other books have really made you feel?

Giveaway:


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11 January 2014

In My Mailbox 93 + Weekly Wrap Up


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi over at The Story Siren, where we show off all the books we have received throughout the week.




The Books:

ARCycling:

Bought:


Weekly Wrap Up:

Reviews:

Posts/Memes:

Book Blitz's/Blog Tours: 
Book Blitz: Lost Without You by Liz Hannah

Giveaways:

08 January 2014

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday was created and is hosted by Breaking The Spine and it is a weekly meme where we show you which book we just cannot be patient for! 

My Book:
Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Synopsis: In the thrilling conclusion to the Sky Chasers series Waverly, Kieran, and Seth struggle to survive on-board the New Horizon—and take down their enemies before it's too late.

Waverly and the other members of the Empyrean have scattered, and their home ship has been destroyed. Their mission to rescue their parents didn't go as planned, and now they're at an even greater disadvantage: trapped with their enemies on the New Horizon, trying to find a way to survive. Kieran has been pulled under Anne Mather’s wing, but is she really trying to make peace, or just using Kieran to build her own power? Meanwhile, Waverly is taken in by a mysterious old man who wants to help her bring Anne Mather down—but the more Waverly cooperates with him, the more dangerous her position is, and the more at odds with Kieran she becomes.

Seth's situation is even worse. After setting out from the Empyrean on his own, with only a vague strategy to guide him, he is a fugitive aboard the New Horizon. He's doing what he can to challenge the power of Anne Mather, but he's badly hurt, and getting sicker.

Will Seth ever see Waverly again? Will his health hold out long enough to help her topple their enemies? And will Waverly find a way to unite with her friends before they all fall? Nothing is sure and every moment is a risk in this explosive finale of the Sky Chasers series.

Reasoning:
I have read the first two books in this trilogy and they were so so good! So as you can imagine, I am dying to read the third and final book. I guess I cheated a little considering this book actually came out yesterday, but to be fair I do not have the book yet so it is still something I am waiting for! 

Have you read this trilogy yet? Let me know in the comments!

07 January 2014

Release Day Review: Incubus Episode 1 by Rachel Bateman


Incubus Episode One by Rachel Bateman
Release Day: January 7, 2014
Synopsis: 


All Kyle Prideaux wants is a normal life.



But with a serial killer in town, murdering women the same way her mother died seven years ago, and a silent stalker watching her during the day and invading her dreams at night, normal is impossible.




After she's attacked at work one night, Kyle wakes in the hospital to discover things of nightmares exist and walk among us every day.




And she's the only one who can stop them.


Meet The Author: 
Rachel Bateman is a writer and editor who spends too much time thinking she can out-bake the Cake Boss. (Spoiler: she can't.) She lives in The Middle of Nowhere, Wyoming, but dreams of living by the ocean. When not writing, editing, or reading books, she can be found playing with her husband, young son, and herd of alpacas.


99 Days of Laney MacGuire is her first novel.



Links:
Amazon: Please add this link once the book goes live if possible!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelbatemanbooks

My Review:
I received Incubus Episode 1 by Rachel Bateman from the publisher and this is my honest review. 

The synopsis of Incubus Episode 1 pulled me in right away. I am not accepting e-book review copies anymore because I am backed up to no end, but I could not help but sign up for this one because the book sounded so good! 

This novella type book is about a girl named Kyle (one of the things I loved about this is her name is Kyle because it is very unique for a girl) who lives in a town experiencing a slue of murders. Her mother happened to be one of the first murders and this caused her father to become a detective on the case. 

Kyle has two friends that make themselves evident in the book Jayne who is not a huge part of the story she’s just Kyle’s best friend, and then Colter who at first seems like the biggest jerk (not surprising am I right?) But do not get me wrong he makes himself a big part in the story which you will have to read the book to find out. But I love his part in the story its mysterious, and who doesn’t like mysterious boys?

The only thing that kind of turned me off to the story was that the first half is basically about the murders so it seems like a murder mystery. But then halfway through Kyle like starts showing some weird powers that we get like no explanation for so that was kind of annoying. But I am hoping that we will get a better explanation when the second episode comes out! 


Overall this was a great start to a new novella type series, and I am extremely excited to read the upcoming books and other books from Rachel Bateman as well!


Giveaway:

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Stolen Wishes Release Day Blitz


Stolen Wishes by Lexi Ryan
Synopsis: **Contains sexual content and adult language and situations. Intended for mature readers.**

Cally… 
A sexy smile. Intense blue eyes. A goodness that makes him want to save me from these rumors when no one else would care. I didn't ask for a hero. William Bailey was never supposed to be anything more than a wish, a dream, an unrequited crush. Not for a girl like me--a girl whose fractured family has stolen her chance at a decent life.

William… 
Since the death of my parents, I've always done whats expected of me, what's "best" for me. Until Cally. The moment her haunted eyes meet mine, the fractured pieces of my heart feel whole again. I dont just want to save her. I need her to save me.

Stolen chances. Unbroken wishes. Two lonely souls grasping for hope in the darkness. 


**This novella takes place seven years before the events in WISH I MAY and shows William and Cally falling in love for the first time. It can be read before or after WISH I MAY or on its own.**

Book Links:

Meet The Author:
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, Lexi Ryan considers herself the luckiest chick she knows. Her books have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. Lexi herself has only been described using two of those adjectives (feel free to guess but shes not telling)When not writing, she enjoys watching football, perfecting her chocolate martini, and reading her way to the title of Biggest Romance Fangirl Evah. A former college professor, her biggest fears include faculty meetings and large stacks of ungraded freshman composition papers. She now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband and two children and their neurotic dog



Find Lexi:
Website: www.lexiryan.com
Twitter: @writerlexiryan


Excerpt:
“Thank you for tonight,” she says. “Most guys wouldnt have gone to such lengths because of a stupid rumor.”
“You think I wanted to date you to satisfy the rumor mill?”
She focuses on the pavement in front of us, avoiding my gaze. “Didnt you?”
“Youre not that naïve, are you?” That gets her to look at me. Her eyes are narrow and frustrated. “Cally, I took you to dinner tonight because I wanted to. I dont like what theyre saying about you, but my reasons for asking you out were more selfish than they were noble.”
She stops and leans one shoulder against the trunk of a thick maple as she studies me. “How were they selfish?”
“I wanted a chance to have some time alone with a pretty girl.”
She stares at me for two heartbeats. “I really like you, William Bailey.”
I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear then shove my hands in my pockets to keep myself from touching her more. “I like you too, Cally Fisher.”
Her teeth sink down into her bottom lip and her eyes drop to my mouth. 
I fist my hands in my pockets and exhale slowly. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
“I really want you to,” she whispers, flicking her eyes to mine.
I take a cautious step forward and press my hands against the tree trunk on either side of her head, then slowly lower my mouth until its a breath above hers. “Has anyone ever kissed you before?”
“Yes.”
Jealousy burns in my gut. Its silly, but its there at the thought of another guy touching his lips to hers. “Who?”
“Davey Mills kissed me on the lips behind the school in second grade.” Her eyes flash with mischief and she bites back her smile.
“Lucky Davey,” I grumble.

Giveaway:
All the participating blogs are able to give away one e-copy of Wish I May which is Lexi's first novel and the first book in this series! So to enter just leave a comment below with your email address :)
 
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