Seventeen-year-old Maddie Davis has spent her whole life on the move. With an unstable mother who has a knack for making bad decisions, she’s never stayed in one place long enough to remember its postcode. But this time is different… This time, she has been dragged half way across the world. Arriving in California and being forced to go back to school feels like stepping back in time. She wants to go home…
Until she meets Blaine Elwood – the stepson of an old family friend.
Blaine appears to have it all. To the outside world, quarterback Blaine is rich, confident and has the ‘arrogant bad boy’ image down to a tee. But nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. Nobody ever can. He has vowed never to let anyone get too close – let anyone discover how weak he is. So when new girl Maddie starts tugging at strings he didn’t know existed in his heart, his only option is to push her away…
Until he realizes how much he needs her.
Together, after being forced into adulthood from an early age, they begin to learn what it feels like to be young - to smile, to laugh... to love. So when shattered secrets and splintered lies start unraveling around them, will the trust they’ve worked so hard to build be irreparably destroyed? Or will they realize they are two pieces of the same broken puzzle?
My Views:
A heart-breakingly beautiful story that sucked me in at the first page and kept me there until the end.
Missing pieces took me on an emotional roller coaster, it had me laugh out loud, made me full on ugly cry, made my heart sing and also gave me parts that had me horrified at the truly horrific things that happen to some of the characters.
The book is beautifully written, daring to tackle serious issues head on in a story that flows brilliantly throughout. It is full of twists, turns and shocks that come at you left right and center making this a book that I just couldn't bare to put down.
Maddie and Blaine both stole my heart from the beginning, I adored their characters and could of read their story all day long. The sexual tension between the pair of them is sizzling hot and I love how their relationship developed.
Over all I would 100% recommend this book as an absolute MUST READ and give it 5 BIG BOOK LOVE STARS!
Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dogs!) She is the author of New Adult/Contemporary romance novels Inevitable, Saving Amy and the Take My Hand series. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…
If you're looking for a heartwarming story about a girl who falls deeply in love with a troubled boy who changes her life--a sob story with pretty metaphors and a million ways that'll tell you how "broken" she is, STOP. Don't read another word of this.
I'm not that type of girl.
My name is Emerald Anderson and I'm not going to bullshit you: I flunked out of college after my sophomore year, I've been fired from every job I've ever taken, and I've never had a fully functioning relationship in my life.
I wish I could say that I had a cheerleader in my corner, someone who says, "No, Emerald--You're great and you are good at something!" but I don't. My grandparents are completely oblivious to my life, and my mother's dying words to me were "You're going to end up just like me one day. A beautiful nothing."
She was right.
As I decide to start my life over and take two jobs that will forever change me--one from the inside, and one from the outside, I keep my mother's words close to my heart so I can keep the sexy and mysterious Carter Black away.
He's the first man who's ever pursued me, the first man who seems bent on finding out why I am the way I am, but he's wasting his time.
I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed. I'm perfectly fine being a beautiful failure...
My mother was a whore.Her name was Leah Isabelle Anderson—“Leah Belle” for short, and she was one of New Jersey’s most sought after escorts.With deep green eyes that could take any man’s breath away, and skin so porcelain and smooth that it looked too perfect to touch, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Often compared to a supermodel, her raven black hair fell past her shoulders, and her naturally long eyelashes were always coifed to perfection. Growing up, I had no idea what she did with the men who picked her up in their shiny and expensive cars—the men who wore thousand dollar suits and patted me on the head while saying, “Your mom is really something special.”In a way, these strangers became the closest thing I had to a family since I never knew my father: Her regulars, Christian and William, sent me gifts every Christmas. Arnie bought me my first bike, Steve taught me how to change a tire, and her most ruthless suitor—Vincent, took me shopping for designer clothes once a month.Leah Belle—she never ever let me call her “mom,” wasn’t exactly a mother to me; she was more like an older friend. An older ‘I’ll-be-there-when-it’s-convenient’ friend.She missed every elementary school play, every middle school writing competition, and never gave a damn about my grades. At first, the involuntary loneliness bothered me, but after I created an army of invisible friends and easily accessible fantasies, I came to terms with her neglect and happily accepted any attention she was willing to give me.When I became a teenager, she started to hang around me more often—promising that she would do better, promising that she would make sure that “from here on out, [we’d] be best friends.” Since she’d run away from her parents after having me at sixteen, she made a point to never lecture or discipline me. She did however, teach me three very important lessons:1.) “Always put tons of effort into the way you look. You need to be beautiful on the outside, no matter how fucked up you are on the inside. If you ever feel sad or depressed, suck that shit up and add more mascara.”2.) “Don’t make friends. Make sponsors. If you can’t get anything out of someone or use them for a specific purpose, kick that person out of your life ASAP.”3.) “Beauty wins over brains every time. Your body will always be your most important asset. Remember that.”For my fourteenth birthday, she poured me my first shot and offered me a short line of coke, saying, “Welcome to life, Em!”I shook my head at the coke—I’d read about the effects, but I happily took the red shot glass from her hand. “To the best fuckin’ daughter in the world!” She lifted her glass in the air, waiting for me to do the same, and then she ordered me to toss it back.The initial burning sensation was painful—disgusting, but in the years to come, that bitterness tasted better and better, and I looked forward to the two of us drinking together. It was the only time that she gave me her undivided attention.In those moments, I would tell her about another writing competition I’d won or how I’d received more early college scholarships. When it was her turn, she would tell me about “turning tricks” like other parents told their kids about a day at the office.“I can’t tell you how weak Ben’s dick was today,” she’d say. “I mean, I feel like I should be charging him double for the weak ass fucks he puts me through.”“You don’t enjoy it with him? Ever?” I’d ask.“No. Never with him. But he’s a sponsor, I’m getting his money, and that’s all that matters. I just lie there, scratch his back, and say ‘Harder… Harder’ to make him think I’m into it until—”“Until he cums?”“Yep.” She’d pass me a cigarette before sighing. “With him and a few others, I usually have to take a few shots beforehand to numb my mind. With the really good ones, all I have to do is relax. Sex can be fucking incredible when it’s done right…”One particular Friday, after she let one of her regulars take me shopping for a Chanel bag, I unlocked the door to our home and saw droplets of blood all over the floor.“Leah?” I set my shopping bag down. “Did you get another nose bleed?”No answer.I headed into the kitchen, looking for her usual remedies—hot tea and Q tips, but she wasn’t there.“You here?” I walked around our living room and checked all the rooms upstairs. Confused, I pulled out my cell phone and called her.No answer again.I shrugged and opened a bottle of vodka, tossing back a few shots. I figured she’d left with one of her sponsors for a quickie and would be back by the time our favorite show started.I decided to take a shower before it came on and headed into the downstairs bathroom.The second I hit the lights, my heart fell out of my chest.I wanted to believe that what I was seeing was simply a sick joke by my imagination—a twisted fantasy I’d snap out of in seconds.Pale and blue, Leah’s body lay lifeless in our tub. Her left arm was dangling over the edge, and the small velvet bag where she kept her cocaine was dangling from her fingertips.Scattered across the floor were hundreds of prescription pills and empty orange bottles that bore the names of strangers. On the vanity, there was an empty syringe and a folded note that read “For my Em…”Trembling, I rushed to her side and pressed my finger against her neck, hoping for a pulse.Nothing.I tilted her head back and tried to breathe life into her—pressing her chest with my hands every few seconds, but it was no use.She was gone.I sank down to the floor in tears—cursing her, hating her, for doing this to me. To us.I had no friends to call, no family either, so in my numb and dazed state I somehow managed to call 9-1-1. While the operator attempted to calm me down by asking me to take deep breaths, I walked over to the vanity and unfolded Leah’s last note:
Em,
I know you’re confused right now, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you so fucking much… You were the only thing that made my life worth living, and I wish I was strong enough to keep that in mind…
I’m not.
I’m tired of living a lie and I haven’t been happy in a very long time… I just can’t take it anymore…
I’ve fucked up a lot of things in my life, but the biggest regret I have is the way I raised you…I’m so sorry… This is going to be hard for you to believe—especially since I’m gone, but I need you to forget all that shit I taught you. Right now.
Fuck using your looks to get what you want. Go to college and do some good shit with your life, like write or something. You’re a good writer, you’re very smart, and you need to use your brain to get ahead. Can you promise to do that for me, Em?
Then again…It’s probably too late and I’m willing to bet that you’ll end up just like me: A beautiful nothing…
It won’t be your fault though. It’ll be—
I stopped reading and flushed that note down the toilet. Her last words were clearly written out of sadness and they were only compounding my pain. As far as I was concerned, Leah had raised me the best she could and she was far from a “beautiful nothing” in my eyes. In fact, I cherished every single thing she’d taught me.Even though I was beyond hurt that she’d selfishly left me all alone, I was determined to remember her at her best and for everything she was to me:My mother.My best friend.My role model.
Mariah Cole is a Starbucks addict (hazelnut shots, please!), New Adult author, and an incessant daydreamer. Known for pushing the envelope, she's an avid reader of indie books and is always looking to chat with readers and authors alike.
Carnelian by B. Kristin McMichael (Chalcedony Chronicles #1) Publication date: January 10th 2014 Genres: Time-Travel, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Everyone
has a past, but for most it isn’t so far in the past as Seth Sangre.
His past is literally from thousands of years ago. Seth’s past led him
to the present seeking something that might help him save his country
from destruction. He has been in the present for over three years now
and just found exactly what he has been looking for.
Mari had
dreams of college being a fresh start, one where she would start over
and not fall for the good looking player like high school. Unfortunately
for her that’s exactly what ends up falling into her lap on the first
day she moves into the dorms. Now she has to hold to her promise to
herself and not fall for the handsome Seth. But he doesn’t plan to make
it easy for her. Seth has already marked her as his next conquest. As
the semester progresses, Mari learns that Seth might just have a past of
his own that’s literally in the past. Suddenly Mari finds her future
along with her past put into question. She’s connected to Seth far more
than she ever wanted to be and maybe the player isn’t who she thought he
was. If Mari can trust her heart enough to follow him, Seth will lead
Mari on an adventure of a lifetime and reveal family secrets she never
knew existed.
After turning him down, Seth doesn't give up pursing Mari:
I waited in my room for another twenty minutes and scavenged
silently through all our snacks, nothing good enough to be a meal. I checked
several times, and he was still sitting outside my door. The last time I
checked, he even looked up at the peephole and smiled. I was beginning to feel
like Seth knew I was in my room. When my stomach growled for the tenth time, I
just had to walk out the door and ignore him. It was the only plan I had.
Grabbing my keys and ID, I hurried out the door. It was nice that the doors
were self-locking, and I could just walk away. Seth jumped up and followed me
like a puppy, as Sim had called him.
“Not even going to say hello?” Seth asked. “Do you treat all
your friends that way?” Seth teased and followed close behind me.
“I wasn’t under the impression that we were friends,” I replied.
My plan was to ignore him, but I failed at that.
“Ouch,” Seth answered. “Why can’t I be your friend?”
“You really want to be my friend?” I asked, and he nodded. “Then
stop asking me out.”
“Fair enough,” Seth replied. I eyed him suspiciously. “New
friend, would you mind joining me for supper?” he asked. I shook my head in
disbelief. No way he was giving up that easily after waiting for over an hour
for me to leave my room, but my growling stomach told me I had no choice but to
play his game, whatever it turned out to be.
“Fine,” I replied and kept looking forward rather than at the
cute brown eyes.
“You don’t have to sound excited,” he added with a chuckle.
Originally
from Wisconsin, B. Kristin currently resides in Ohio with her husband,
two small children, and three cats. When not doing the mom thing of
chasing kids, baking cookies, and playing outside, she is using her PhD
in biology as a scientist. In her free time she is currently hard
at work on multiple novels. Every day is a new writing adventure. She is
a fan of all YA/NA fantasy and science fiction.
**Due to sexual content, language and violence, this book is only suitable for ages 18 and up**
Everyone has secrets. How far would you go to keep them hidden? What would it take for you to rid yourself of the secret…. to move past it all?
Kayla Williams was stuck in a reoccurring nightmare. The problem was Kayla wasn't dreaming. This really was her life for the past sixteen years. No matter what, she knew she had to keep this secret, from everyone she knew and loved especially her ten brothers and sisters. It was a secret that would break the family apart. Kayla is the middle child of a large family. Kayla found it all too easy to blend into the background. When her twin sisters have a graduation party, Kayla decides to stop by only to tell them congratulations. She had tried to stay away from her family and her family home as much as she could. Kayla loved her family, but it was hard to face them, knowing the awful secret she was hiding. What Kayla didn't know was that going to this party would cause the first domino to fall and trigger the next.
Jason Gold, a dutiful son, was a loner all his life. To Jason, honesty and trust were only a figment of people’s imagination but something he believed in. Jason, a police detective is married to the job. When Jason’s sick mother asks him to attend a party on behalf of her, he meets the one girl that he could not ignore or forget.
Secrets are dangerous…. they can cause bonds to break and hearts to shatter…. Will Kayla survive her hidden secret or will it claim her forever? Will Jason come clean on his secrets or let them tear away the only woman he has cared enough about to pursue?
Kayla, your brothers are watching you while your dad and I attend this banquet dinner. Your sisters are at Aunt Lucy‟s for the weekend. Keep an eye on things, please. All the boys are together, you know how messy that can get. Jake and Carson should be calling to let us know when they will be home. Can you please write the message down and leave it on the fridge?” my mom said to me.
Jane Williams was a beautiful woman. Many say she could pass for a model even now. I could remember hearing several of my brothers‟ friends saying those words when they met our mom for the first time.
“Yes, ma‟am.” I said rolling my eyes. Nothing I hated more than being told how to do the obvious things. I knew how to answer the phone and take a message, as well as where to put it.
“You‟re sure you don‟t want to go to Aunt Lucy‟s? We could drop you off on our way.”
“Yes, mom. I would rather stay here. I have a project to work on anyway.”
I didn‟t like going to Aunt Lucy‟s. She was a little out there in an odd way, and I much preferred to stay at home when my sisters went over there. They did all the girlie things; I was happier just getting muddy and climbing trees.
“Okay, love you guys! Behave yourselves, boys, and keep an eye on your siste,r please,” Jane yelled as she headed out the door on my father‟s arm.
“Eli, do you have some time to help me with a school project?”
I loved all my siblings, but I had bonded most with Elijah and Jake. They were overprotective but I still loved them.
“Can we work on it tomorrow, Kay? We‟re going to have some friends over and play some pool.”
I forced a smile, trying hard to hide my disappointment at not being able to spend time with my brothers, who were home on break
“Sure,” I said. “I will stay in my room and out of the way.” He hugged me and I headed to my room.
My room was simple. I had a daybed up against one wall. Across from the bed was a built-in entertainment center with shelves for all my favorite books and movies. There was a built-in desk at the far end of my room, and a walk in closet that had more than enough room for all my clothes and shoes. I even had my own bathroom. It wasn‟t huge, but it was big enough for a bathtub/shower, a sink with vanity, and a toilet. I didn‟t have to share it with my brothers or sisters, and that was all I cared about. There was nothing about my room that screamed „girlie;‟ the walls were beige and the carpet was white. The linens were lilac, as were the curtains. I loved my room; it was peaceful, relaxing, and easy to stay focused on my studies. I sat down at my desk and started working on my homework assignment.
Music started playing loudly from downstairs. I slowly made my way to the top of the grand staircase. When I got to the banister, I saw a room full of people. My brothers were hamming it up big time for the girls there. I sighed heavily and shook my head at my brothers‟ actions. Judging by the amount of people and their laughter and music, I knew it was going to be loud for a while. So I made my way back to my room, turned on the radio, put my headphones on and went back to work on the project.
A few hours later, it was late and I was tired, so I decided to call it a night. The music was still going downstairs, so I knew the only way I was going to get any sleep was if I switched to my wireless headphones and wore them to bed. After changing for bed and brushing my teeth, I crawled in bed and fell asleep in no time.
Unsure of how long I was sleeping when my bedroom light came on. I sat up and tried to get my eyes to adjust to the light. Through the blur I thought I saw my brother in the doorway.
“Jeez, Nick! I was sleeping, you know?”
I rubbed my eyes, and when I looked back the door was being locked. It was not my brother after all. Instead it was a man about the height of my brother, with a buzzed head and average frame, though it was apparent that he worked out. He wore a tank top with a vest over it, revealing several tattoos lining his arms and neck. His jeans were baggy and sagged from his waist. He had three piercings - two silver hoops in his ears that that caught the light from my room when he walked, and the other in his lip. He moved closer to me, and I noticed that his eyes were dark - almost black. He walked with the confidence that he owned the world and had a smile on his face that sent chills down my spine.
“Umm, you need to leave my room,” I said, trying to keep the fear from my voice.
“My name is Alex. I am a friend of your brother, Carson. I take it he is not coming home tonight?” His voice was low and had a menacing tone as he spoke.....
Excerpt (Jason’s POV)
I was just walking up to the front of the house when I froze in my spot. Staring at the sight before me, I watched as a woman came running from the house. Her long, brown, curly hair was flying like silk in the wind behind her as she ran. It was like watching her in slow motion.
She was breathtaking. She had perfect opulent curves, not pencil thin like most women these days think they need to be. As she ran, her perfect size breasts were bouncing along. Just looking at her was making my cock stir in my pants. I watched as she made her way down the steps trying to get her shoes off. She was down on the walk, struggling with her other shoe when she started to fall. I ran in to catch her. Her hair fell into her face as I cradled her in my arms.
For the first time in a long time, as I held this woman in my arms, I had a feeling of peace come over me. Something about this woman called to me. She wasn‟t the normal type that I took to bed when I was frustrated. She was different. I can‟t put my finger on why, but I wanted to get to know her better; a lot better. She wiggled and her breasts rubbed against my chest and I had to bite back a groan. I knew it had been a while since I had been with a woman but this was ridiculous. No woman has ever affected me like this one. Instead of making me want to run away, I wanted to get closer.
Jeez, you fucking pervert!
About the Author
Hey Y'all! PJ here. You want to know a little about me. Well I live in Indiana with my husband of ten years, our three kids, and two dogs. I love writing and reading in any spare time that I have. I have been writing for as long back as I can remember, but I put it aside for a while. There are many reasons I did that but mostly it just wasn't time for me to really push it, I think. My oldest son is an inspiration. He is autistic and the view he has on life is astounding. He doesn't let the bullies or negative reaction to him slow him down. My daughter loves to read just like her mama and my youngest son is a complete copy of his father it's scary LOL. My family has gone from one extreme to another weather wise. We lived in Alaska to move to Georgia. Big weather difference. Each day I view as a blessing. Make your dreams come true today because none of us are promised tomorrow. Hugs to all and many blessings.
Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dogs!) She is the author of New Adult/Contemporary romance novels Inevitable, Saving Amy and the Take My Hand series. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping… 
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