The Duality Principle - Blog Tour - Review

Book:The Duality Principle 

Author: Rebecca Grace Allen

Genres: Adult, Romance

Published 11 November 2014

Synopsis: 

Sometimes A + B = O. Yes. Oh, yes. Just like that.

Gabriella Evans’s life exists in terms of logic and definitions. She’s holed up in Portland, Maine, for the summer to work on her PhD thesis, but something is screwing up her concentration: the rumble of a motorcycle every time the embodiment of her rough-and-tumble fantasies rides down her street.
When her best friend talks her into a blind date, she finds herself out with the opposite of her fantasy. He’s polite and well-mannered, yet something behind his crisply tailored shirt doesn’t add up—a rebellious gleam in his eye that piques her curiosity.
Orphaned at fifteen, Connor Starks has finally put the years of failing grades, breaking laws and breaking hearts behind him. The only holdover? His penchant for getting down and dirty in public places. But Gabriella makes him want to prove he’s become a better man.

Nothing intrigues Gabriella more than a problem she can’t solve. But the more Connor tries to bury his past, the more determined she is to uncover it. And what she finds makes all her trusty logic begin to fail her…

In The Duality Principle by Rebecca Grace Allen, Gabriella Evans 'Gabby' is a mathematician on holiday in Maine, spending her last summer at her grandmother's house before her parents sell it. There, she is enthralled by a mysterious biker, whose face she never sees but cannot stop thinking of or fantasizing about. "Her rider always rode fast and he was always alone."

There also, her friend Jamie sets her up on a blind date. Despite a statistical thirty percent chance of success, Gabby agrees to go to keep her friend quiet. Her date is Connor Starks. Following a bit of a strange blind date, Gabby and Connor decide to meet again.

The plot is simple, Gabby seeks to prove, in her thesis, that duality does not exist; nothing can be two things at the same time; nothing can be black and white at the same time. She believes that duality is not in her nature, whereas duality is in all of us, especially Gabby. In an attempt to disprove duality, Gabby tries to disprove her own dual nature.

Since the first chapter in the novel, we see that Gabriella, who despite being a straight A student, has whims to break free from her life and the mould an intelligent mathematician is placed within. "She didn't want sweet, intelligent and safe. She wanted more."

The characters of Gabby and Connor are different and alike at the same time. Gabby is smart, logical and successful but she has a wild side that past boyfriends have shied away from, viewing her as a freak. Connor, on the other hand, was a rebellious bad boy, who had broken both hearts and the law. But trying to become a gentleman now is a task made harder by Gabby, who prefers the bad boy over the classy guy. Meanwhile, Connor has two struggling sides, which often appear at the same time or minutes apart; one minute he is very flirtatious, the next he is serious and apologetic.

However, it is Jamie's character that appears in a different light at the end of the novel. It is Jamie that makes this novel come to life to begin with.

Despite the raw emotions in the novel, one sometimes feels that Gabby is more into sex than anything else. One realises she has been deprived but this rampant desire lessens the value of both her character and her womanhood for the reader. It is this desire that also worries Connor.

I particularly liked the use of mathematical imagery in the novel; it was highly fitting for Gabby's character: "The truth was that she couldn't figure Connor out, and nothing irritated her more than a problem she couldn’t solve."

Also, "Connor was a complicated proof she needed to take her time with."

The theory of disproving duality is a bit hard to understand and whenever it came up in the novel, sometimes I felt like I got it and at other times I felt completely lost like I was reading Chinese – not one of my languages.

This is probably the only negative comment I have about the entire book. I did not like rereading parts and still feeling like I wasn't making any heads or tails of them; a bit like Gabriella in this respect.

On the other hand, I liked how instead of throwing day-to-day complications for the characters, the author kept bringing up the past and previous experiences in her scenes. The past plays a strong role in both characters' lives and affects their behaviour in the present. The past is the main obstacle in the novel.

Overall, The Duality Principle is an enjoyable and quick read with beautiful narration and imagery throughout.

"A rose represents promises and hope, but its beauty is bonded with thorns. It embodies pain and loss. Combined together, they are in perfect harmony, equal parts beautiful and strong."

Note: This book contains adult scenes and is not fitting for people under 18.

Note: I received a free copy of this book via Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review and to take part in the blog tour for the book.

Also courtesy of the author, there's a Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22839765-the-duality-principle?ac=1

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M3XTPU8/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00M3XTPU8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-duality-principle-rebecca-grace-allen/1120006613?ean=9781619223707

To check out what others think of the book and see some guest posts, here is the whole schedule for The Duality Principle blog tour:

http://xpressobooktours.com/2014/09/16/tour-sign-up-the-duality-principle-by-rebecca-grace-allen/

About the Author:

Rebecca Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a double concentration in Creative Writing and Literary Comparison, which seemed like a good idea at the time. After stumbling through careers in entertainment, publishing, law and teaching, she’s returned to her first love: writing. A self-admitted caffeine addict and gym rat, she currently lives in upstate New York with her husband, two parakeets, and a cat with a very unusual foot fetish.

Author links:

http://www.rebeccagraceallen.com/

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccagraceallen

https://twitter.com/RGraceAllen

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8421545.Rebecca_Grace_Allen

Strings by Darren Gallagher, short story collection - Book Review

Strings by Darren Gallagher is a collection of 33 mostly scary short stories spanning different eras, worlds, themes and places. The stories encompass a variety of topics ranging from vampires and werewolves to swarms of spiders, to newly-made up creatures to cowboys even.

‘Ruby Red Soldiers’ is a ten-star opening to the Strings collection. It is highly creative with a new take on the supernatural. I’m doing an effort not to spoil this one but suffice to say I loved every bit of it. Also, the fact that I don’t think I have read – or seen – any scary stories that take place during the day. It’s always the dark and dead of night, but not Gallagher, and not this story. 

‘A Hiker’s Life’ is an excellent and creative masterpiece about the things that go bump in the morning! I love how Gallagher had me fooled throughout this entire piece.

I loved the five-star piece called ‘The Wishing Well’, which was not scary at first but the ending was the scariest part. In a ’A Bag Full of Ashes’ who could have though Christmas would be scary? It’s new, suspenseful, different and interesting. It also has this sort of uniting in death theme.

‘Renovation’ is one of the stories that do not include the supernatural element but that is scarier than many other-worldly stories. I loved the image “the kitchen was an untapped pit of darkness”. This story will give every reader the notion of thinking several times and looking into suspicious investments. A ten-star piece!

‘Kumari’ is a short story hit the spot for me. It is certainly one of my favourites in the Strings collection. There is no magic involved, just a little girl with a warrior within against a male-dominated society. I did not feel it was a scary story but certainly a ten-star masterpiece!

‘Fighting the Curse’ is a dark and interesting story though a bit bloody and gruesome but nonetheless different and enjoyable.

In ‘A Secret in Time’ I felt that there was something wrong with the third person narrations of this story, like it’s too passive or too slow. Overall, the storyline is good and though the Hiker’s transformation is a big vague, the story is interesting and would be great to build up a full-length novella or novel on it. I enjoyed the fight and the constant power shift as well as the sort of beauty and the beast reversal.

Moving on to a ‘New Life, New World, New Beginnings’, which represents a  new take on the sewer cliché as one character says “You mean all a criminal has to do to escape is go into the sewers?” and surprisingly the answer is “Yes!” Which is rather comical. This story is another Gallagher masterpiece that is highly creative with more experimentation on Lycans rather than werewolves.

I loved ‘Hustled’, which I felt could be metaphoric for the burdens we bear and encumber ourselves with in life. The story moves at a fairly slow pace at first but for good reason then the speed picks up with the turn of events and the speed that comes with such a shift is very nicely done. I liked Sebil’s cunning.

In ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ I loved the bit when one character asks “Why?” and the reply was “Because I want to and because I can”.

‘Akuya’ is one of the top masterpieces in the collection. I loved every bit of it, particularly how it is not about good and evil or even their notions. A must read! It is followed by ‘Flight of a Dead Man’, an action-packed story that seems to be inspired by the theme of The Transporter movies. I loved Gallagher’s use of this speech in this piece. A must read ten-star story!

Another masterpiece is the story of ‘Sinsu’, which I truly enjoyed, especially how it unfolded, how taunting bad dreams could be and I believe many can relate to having a bad day after a nightmare. The ending was perfect.

‘Too Little, Too Late’ is a heart-breaking story that is not scary and has no place in this collection in my personal opinion. It is well written but I did not like the content.

I wish I could mention and comment on all but that will make my review far longer than it already is. However, I will briefly mention a few more titles that I enjoyed: ‘Down by the River’, ‘Little Haven’, ‘Jars of Hearts’, ‘A Murder of Crows’, ‘Blood Ties’, ‘A Christmas Tree Is More than Just an Object’, and ‘Frozen Out’.

Overall Gallagher uses many children in his stories to reinforce the scary element, added to using familiar ideas like Christmas trees and contemplating at the lake and twisting the events to create something brand new. This adds a lot to his works, most of which are highly enjoyable.

There were a few stories that were er.. ok for me, but only one felt out place in this collection, hence a 4.5-star rating is in order. I realize it is almost impossible to like every piece in a collection.

Note: I received a free copy of Strings from the author for an honest review and while this post was originally slated for 31st of October, 2014, stuff happened and both my reading and post were delayed.

Sleeping Tom - Cover Reveal

Today I’m hosting a new Cover Reveal via Xpresso Blog Tours.

About the Book

Sleeping Tom by E.V. Fairfall

Publication date: February 15th 2015

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Hitchhiking is a bad idea but Caden is desperate.

When she accepts a ride from the first car to come by she meets Gabriel. He’s her age, hot, and the closest thing she has to a savior. Problem is, he is a total jerk. With nowhere to go, Caden convinces Gabriel to let her stay with him for one night. He reluctantly lends a couch.

That night Caden wakes up to strange noises. Concerned, she rushes into Gabriel’s room, already anticipating his bad temper. Instead, he’s kind, sweet, and suspiciously harmless—nothing like the man who gave her a ride. He seems like a different person altogether, and claims he is. By night he is Tom, and by day he is Gabriel. Caden finds herself drawn to the mysteries hidden in his eyes.

For Gabriel, Caden is an annoying mistake. One night turns into many, and despite all his anger towards her, she stays. She even seems to accept him and his flaws, but he still doesn’t trust her—is she staying for him, or has she already discovered more than he’s willing to share?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23444087-sleeping-tom

Pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PTYKTZ8#

About E.V. Fairfall:

I love to write just as much as I love to read. I try to read a book per week, which doesn’t always work out, but it’s the thought that counts. Aside from all that I am a huge animal person.

Transformed is my first novel, but it isn’t my first publication; I’ve had several short stories published over the last two years. My main goal as a writer is to explore humanity and to give people something fun to read.

Author links:

http://fairfall.com/

https://www.facebook.com/e.v.fairfall

https://twitter.com/EV_Fairfall

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7485494.E_V_Fairfall

Krymzyn - Book Review

Krymzyn by BC Powell

(The Journeys of Krymzyn #1)

Publication date: 4 October 2014-11-20

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Science Fiction

Krymzyn is a story of a boy and a girl, two worlds – literally, a love and above all balance.

The novel written by B.C. Powell begins with a third person present tense description of what appears to be an initiation of a young girl; one set to embark on a destiny never before seen in the land of Krymzyn.

The novel shifts to the perspective of Chase, a young boy of twelve, who sees the girl during a seizure, which he learns is caused by a tumour. He is told such 'visions' of places and people are nothing but 'hallucinations' because of his tumour, yet Chase cannot help but believe that place called Krymzyn is real. Once the tumour is out, he stops going there.

Years later, he gets another tumour and following another seizure and he goes back to Krymzyn. He later connects that only through his seizures – and tumours – can he go to this wondrous world and see the beautiful Sash who stole his heart.

The people of Krymzyn live their lives in and for balance. Emotions like love, jealousy and hate are alien to them and are considered extremes. When a person dies there, the land calls for another to be 'made' to restore the balance. Each person has a purpose in Krymzyn; no one is idle.

The novel contains many beautiful imagery and ideas that would do well to be present amongst us on earth – in real life. Moreover, Krymzyn is about colours; Powell uses many colours for vividness and to prepare the reader for the truth that will later be revealed to Chase.

Most of the novel is written from Chase's perspective; although it varies between past tense narration, as you would write in a diary, and present tense narration when he goes to Krymzyn to give the feeling of immediateness, the now. Chase attempts to convince his family that Krymzyn is a real place with real people; hence the tense used to describe it gives that sense to the reader.

Character development is evident many characters in the novel, but particularly in the two protagonists Chase and Sash as well as in one of Krymzyn's Disciples, Eval. For Sash, the first time she sees Chase in her vision, she is overwhelmed by all the earthly emotions she experiences. She has no names for such emotions but knows that she is the only one in Krymzyn to have them and experience them. At one point, Sash requests Chase the most difficult explanation of all: "Explain love to me again."

Chase has to explain the trickiest emotion to a girl who does not even know what smell and taste are. His answer, however, is beautiful: "It's probably the hardest emotion in my world to describe. Imagine how you felt when your purpose was revealed to you. The excitement you feel when fulfilling your purpose, when you're getting the sap. Then combine that with how you feel when you honour the Sustaining Tree, when you press your face against the trunk. How you feel when you stand on the Tall Hill and see the beauty of Krymzyn. Then add how you felt just a moment ago while watching the children. When you put all of those feelings together for one person and you can't stand to be without that person – it hurts you inside when you're apart – I guess that's how love feels."

As seen with the word 'love' (underlined and italicised), certain words do not translate in Krymzyn, like the earthly emotions as well as curse words, sarcasm and words like 'family', 'parents', and many others. It is an interesting technique that makes the reader wonder how Chase is going to explain certain things. It also shows the tremendous effort taken by the author to create such an intricate and different world.

I'm not sure if it was intended, but for me, the name 'Chase' is significant as it shows how he chases his dreams in Krymzyn, despite everyone telling him that they are mere hallucinations and figments of his imagination. He also seeks to make these dreams a reality.

Powell has created a new world that stands in strong contrast to earth. Although there is balance, there are no emotions. The people of Krymzyn are often – if not always – expressionless. Their lives are bound by duty and honour to their land. Powell is lauded for his creation, especially as the reader and Chase become dumbfounded by the many apparently impossible equations of maths and physics, which nonetheless hold and act as a strong base.

Overall, Krymzyn is a beautiful place and book. It is rich in comparisons and makes one thing. Powell is lauded for this quick-paced creation.

(Worth noting, the novel contains several sensual and adult scenes. While it may be considered Young Adult, I feel it should be read by those aged 18 or over).

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Xpresso Book Tours

Coral & Bone - Blitz & Giveaway

Today I'm posting a Book Blitz for Coral and Bone by Tiffany Daune. I'm featuring two excerpts from the book, which was released a few months ago. The book will also be available for free throughout the Blitz (18-22 November) and there is a giveaway, so keep reading and don't forget to apply below. Good luck!

Book & Author Details:

Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune

Publication date: July 7th 2014

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Coral & Bone Blurb/Synopsis

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame.

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.

Excerpt #1

"Yes, I'm scared! What's wrong with being scared? You make me sound strong. Well, I'm not. You've seen how well I handle magick." Sparks ignited at the tips of her fingers as she almost shouted at him, not giving him a chance to respond. Her voice rang loudly, echoing throughout the cavern. "I'm angry. I'm hurt. I've taken an overdose of confused, and you want me to defeat some demon?" She pumped her fist, trying to shake the static energy now flowing under her skin. "Right now I'm my own worst enemy." She couldn't hold back any longer. With a flick of her finger, she summoned the river to rise up into a towering wave. She clenched her fist, and the water crashed on the rocks, spraying them with a cold mist. "I'm not what you think I am."

Excerpt #2

"See who you are," the mermaid whispered.

Halen's eyes clouded over and when the smoke cleared she found herself standing in an open field. She was dressed in a cotton dress which fell around her ankles. Soft grass tickled her toes. She took a step forward and a flower sprung from the ground beside her. She leaned down to pick the red poppy. As she took another step a flower sprang up from between the blades of grass. Halen smiled. She walked a little farther and with each step a new poppy sprouted and bloomed. She ran faster and the field blossomed under her feet, and when she waved her hand, the entire valley filled with red poppies. She inhaled their sweet scent and when she exhaled, the birds glided in the breeze of her breath through an endless blue sky.

Halen laughed when the wind caught her skirt and swept the fabric up over her head, but when she pushed it down, dark clouds rolled overhead. She took one step forward and the grass beneath her feet sizzled to a crisp. Taking another step, the poppies burst into flames. The fire licked the hem of her skirt and she gathered it up over her knees. Scanning the field, she spotted a boulder; if she could make it there, remove her feet from the ground, she could save the rest of the field.

She ran in long strides, and with each step, she scorched the ground with her fiery feet. Suddenly, she tripped. Her hands touched down and the ground combusted with a brilliant light. The fire raced through the field, spreading to the trees. The flames reached up, lassoing the birds from the sky, dragging them to the ground. Halen crawled to the rock and hoisted herself up. She stared out to the barren land. "No, no. What have I done?" She clawed the air and the clouds rumbled with thunder. The fire burned hotter and hotter under her flesh. The only way to extinguish the flames was to release them. Tilting her head back, she opened her mouth wide and screamed. What birds had not been burned turned now to black beasts swirling in the torrid sky.

ISBN: 9780993653704
Purchase (FREE from Nov 18-22): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LG0SUE6 

Coral & Bone Epic Playlist

Born to Die ~ Lana Del Rey

Clarity ~ Zedd

Breathing Underwater ~ Metric

Dark Horse ~ Katy Perry

Monster ~ Eminem ft. Rihanna

Light Em Up ~ Fall Out Boys

Burn ~ Ellie Goulding

About Tiffany Daune

I write stories about magick, love and dark creatures lurking in the shadows. When I'm not lost in Edit Land you can find me reading a book from my towering TBR pile or at the movie theater nibbling licorice. I don't have a lucky number, but my favorite time is 11:11. I completely believe that the fortunes found inside cookies will come true and that you must be careful when wishing on stars. I live on an island, so if you want to visit you'll need a boat, and if you want to survive the passage, be sure to bring candy for the mermaids. 

Author links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tiffany-Daune/395436080503637

https://twitter.com/TiffanyDaune

http://www.tiffanydaune.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6904400.Tiffany_Daune 

Rafflecopter Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hand of Fire - Review

Hand of Fire by Judith Starkston is a historical fiction set before and during the Trojan War. The story focuses on Breisis, a priestess of the healing goddess Kamrusepa, and the woman who came between Achilles and Agamemnon. Breisis, who earned only a few lines in Homer's Illiad, is brought to light in Hand of Fire. Starkston both expands and expounds the history and character of Breisis, giving her a whole new form, dimension and depth.

Hand of Fire opens with Breisis's mother on her death bed, and the priestess praying to their goddess to extend her life. However, her prayers are not answered. Breisis follows in her mother's footsteps but cannot seem to grasp all of her mother's faith, devotion and abilities. Breisis is devoted but not like her mother, making her feel incompetent at times.

Despite prolonged delays, the inevitable happens: Breisis weds Mynes, to whom she has been betrothed since birth; a dreadful marriage to a soon-to-be dreadful ruler. Mynes is rash, brutal and blood-thirsty, which is his doom, and to which the reader and Breisis are equally thankful.

Breisis is a healer and the bards tell of the great warrior Achilles as being an unchallenged fighter and healer. Breisis and Achilles collide in their first meeting. Things progress slowly but interestingly. There is a constant ebb and flow between these two characters.

Breisis is truly a strong woman and character. However, her selflessness goes beyond the limits of human behaviour, in my opinion at least, making her both caring and annoying at times.

Hand of Fire is about Breisis; it focuses on her and her alone. The novel does not stray from the priestess to any other character throughout, which is quite interesting actually. Her character development is slow but nicely weaved. The novel is full of ups and downs that are all well-thought of to bring Breisis to the finale, to one last decision.

There are many other likeable characters in Hand of Fire. Achilles' best friend Patroklos is wise, calming, kind and above all loyal beyond measure. He is also one of few who can calm Achilles' fire. Also, one of the most beautiful speeches in the novel is said by Patroklos. "Each of you holds the comfort the other most needs. You are meant for each other. Even the men see that: your height, your hair colour and the divine poise you share. I see more than that. I see inside you: the same gifts, the same fire. Only you can heal each other… You have a fire whose strength can quiet his fire. Imagine. Fire dampened by fire…" (p. 163)

Eurome, Breisis's maid, is an intelligent and caring companion and friend and essential character in the novel. She is a source of rumours and comedy in the novel. After Eurome's first ride in the ship, and after a bout of seasickness, she says "Oh my stars and fishes, if we was meant for seagoing, the gods would gave us fins and scales." (p. 155)

The elemental imagery, particularly the fire imagery, that accompanies Breisis and Achilles is exemplary. "He was made of fire and water. When they joined together, she was filled with feelings far beyond the capacity of her spirit and body to contain – pleasure and delight, pain and despair also, fiercest bonding, radiating out from her in dancing flames." (p. 217). There is plenty more but I cannot quote it all.

The daughter of a historian, Starkston weaves a tale that would linger and leave a mark with every reader.

Hand of Fire is by far the best historical-fiction novel, and novel in general, that I have read in a while. It is a must-read and I certainly plan on rereading it again in the near future for I could not get enough of it.

A 10-star book!

Hurricane Butterfly Blitz and Giveaway

Hurricane Butterfly by MeChelle Vermeulen

Publication date: November 21st 2014

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Twenty-year-old Sophie Blake, is trying her best to get her life back after a horrific dog attack ten months ago. However, this proves to be more difficult than she anticipated. With the help of her best friend Ben Slone, it seems as if she’s making progress, but the truth is that she can feel herself sinking deeper into a black hole…until a tall dark stranger comes knocking, looking for Ben.

Joshua Roxwell has been drowning his demons with Whiskey and woman in an attempt to deal with his guilt after the tragic death of his sister. When he finds an envelope addressed to Ben Slone, written by his sister before her death, he decides to track him down. Instead of resolving their differences, he meets the one girl who silences his demons…but redemption comes at a price.

This is a story of heartache, friendship and love, with a wicked twist…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23352717-hurricane-butterfly?ac=1

I am posting two excerpts from the novel.

When we arrive, Matt gets out and talks to the police. The officer told him the bitch and the owner is inside the house. I watched as they walk to the shed to get the pups. Just then, from the corner of my eye something black bounces in the tall grass. It is one of the pups heading towards the road. I get out and pick him up when voices from all directions catch my attention.

My eyes sweep to the officer yelling with his hands up, and then I see it, the lactating female heading straight towards me. I hear Matt call out my name as I turn my back towards her and reach for the door, but it is too late. I have the yelping pup in my hands when she jumps me from behind.

I don’t remember much from that point on, except hearing two shots being fired at close range, then falling to the ground with the pup clenched to my chest. The first week in the hospital is hell. They keep me on my stomach to have better access to the wounds on my back and right shoulder. The pain is immense, and I am kept under sedation for the first few nights because of the nightmares of a big black dog with red eyes standing at the edge of my bed, fangs dripping with blood.

Ben and Alice visit a few times a day, and Matt comes around too, but it is clear that this wasn’t what he signed up for. I decide to break it off when I get out of the hospital, but he beats me to it. The day before I am due to be released he comes by with a mason jar of sweet tea, compliments of Jimmy, the barman at the pub where we used to hang out. He knew it was my favorite.

His eyes betray him the moment he sets foot inside my room. We are history. He carefully leans over and kisses me on the forehead, then sits down on the edge of the chair, fiddling with the pocket of his pants. We talk about work, school and then, he blurts it out. I wait for the ache, but there is nothing, instead I feel relieved that I am free.

I always thought that falling in love should feel like jumping from a cliff. A fall that scares you as much as it excites you, that leaves you breathless and wanting more. The impossible kind … that ruins you for everyone else.

This wasn’t it, and my chances of finding it have just become harder. I am not the same girl that I was before. Finding that special guy prepared to carry my load with me, would be one in a million, a fairytale come true, and just maybe, an impossible dream…

Another excerpt: 

Tall and slightly tanned, with short messy dark hair, sideburns, and dark stubble along his strong jaw, he looks down at me as he slides of his aviators. My heart slams against my chest as his silver stormy eyes underneath straight black brows lock with mine.

“I’m sorry to intrude, my name is Joshua Roxwell, the guy at the gas station said you might know where to find Ben Slone.” His velvet husky voice carries a whiff of whiskey and spearmint.

“Uhm, oh, you mean Luke,” I gulp.

He seems slightly confused, and I realize that it’s because I’m thinking out loud again.

“I mean, Luke’s the guy at the gas station, he works today.”

Stop rambling. “I’m Sophie, uhm, Blake.”

“Hi, Sophie Blake.” He gives me a panty-dropping smile, and I can feel my brain turn to mush.

Purchase: -Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Butterfly-Mechelle-Vermeulen-ebook/dp/B00OWOVV0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415372791&sr=8-1&keywords=Hurricane+Butterfly

AUTHOR BIO 

Mechelle Vermeulen is the author of the soon to be released new adult novel Hurricane Butterfly: Daydreaming about ideas for my next book. Baking treats that are no good for the hips. I love thunderstorms, rainy days, sweet tea and spending time with my wonderful hubby and two boys.

Author links:

https://twitter.com/mvermeulens

http://instagram.com/mechelle_vermeulen

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mechelle-Vermeulen/101224060077776

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9073399.MeChelle_Vermeulen

Last but not least, the author is allowing each blog to host a giveaway, since I'm not familiar with Rafflecopter, I'll ask those interested in getting a free copy of Hurricane Butterfly to leave their name and email as reply to this post.

A comment on any of my other posts, with your email, will also be appreciated. In about two weeks, I'll do a draw and one lucky winner will be emailed a copy of the book by no later than 12 December.

**Please note that the book contains adult and explicit sexual scenes. If those offend you please do not request a copy.