Friday, June 28, 2019

Heartache & Hope by Jay McLean is LIVE!!





Heartache and Hope, the first book in Jay McLean’s Heartache Duet is 
now live and available in Kindle Unlimited. 



Ava Diaz needs saving.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

Just like she doesn’t know a thing about the boy she sits next to on the first day of senior year.

He thinks she’s a brat.

She thinks he’s entitled.

Maybe first impressions don’t always last…

Because Connor Ledger’s about to save her.

He just doesn’t know why.



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Download your copy today or Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Christy's 5+ star review:

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When the world is at its darkest, that’s when the magic appears.

It's been way too long since I've read a book by Jay McLean, but she's back and better than ever with Heartache and Hope. Seriously, this is one of her best books yet and it gave me all the Kick Push/More Than vibes and that, my friends, is a HUGE compliment. This story was epic. I devoured each page and was left craving more.

Ava Diaz is a teenager, but her life is not like the typical teens. It's a hard life, a life of sacrifice and she does it tirelessly without complaint. She does what needs to be done and what she has to do, even when it's not easy because what's the alternative? Then she meets Connor Ledger and as much as she tries to resist him, she can't. He turns her life upside down. It's the best thing that could ever happen to her but also complicated for her.

Connor is the new guy at his school and a serious athlete. He plays basketball and he's on scholarship for it. He's going to make it big one day and that has been his only focus. Until he meets Ava. Ava is special. She's different. And her life is one Connor can't imagine. They fall for each other and they fall hard. Even though both of them cause each others lives to be more challenging in a way, they need each other desperately.

Love is not a noun. Love is something you do. Something you prove. Something you work hard to create. Love is not something that simply exists because you say it. Love is not a noun. Love is a verb.


There is nothing quite like first love. Reading about the good parts, the angsty parts, all the highs and the lows, I love it so much. Connor and Ava's story was so well done. The writing was amazing and I fell so hard for both of them. Connor is one of Jay's best heroes yet and Ava has to be her strongest heroine. I admire that girl so much. My heart ached for her, but I have hope. Hope that her life will change for the better.

Jay McLean's words are magic. They fill me with so much love and hope. This story had an amazing family dynamic. That's one of the things I loved most about it. It wasn't always an easy read, it definitely gave me all the feels, but it also had me laughing out loud and smiling huge. When a book can do both, that's when it's really special. This book is special. I have no doubt this duet will be sitting pretty on my favorites list for 2019.

If you're looking for a story about young love that's not always easy, pick this book up. I loved every word of this story. Jay McLean will always be one of my favorite authors because no one delivers books like this but her. This one was memorable and unputdownable and I can't recommend it enough!!

“Sometimes hope is the only thing that gets us through to the next day.”

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Excerpt:



They look like fireflies. The way the water falls from the sky, illuminated only by the streetlamps.
I stand in the middle of the road, barefoot and barely breathing, my arms out, face to the sky. 

I don’t know how I got here. 

When I climbed out of my window, the sun was just setting and now… now I’m surrounded by
dark skies and false hope. 

I know I should go home. 

That I should face my fears and tackle them head-on. 

My mind travels the right roads at the right time to get me there, but my heart…

My heart takes me to Connor. 

Outside his bedroom window, mud seeps between my toes, and the frigid air creates
goosebumps along my skin. I raise my fist and tap, tap, tap on the glass. 

A moment later, a light turns on. And then nothing. I tap again, my heart racing.
The blind lifts and Connor appears, his eyes squinting. It’s clear he’d been asleep, or close to it.
Hair a mess, he’s shirtless, the obvious beginnings of bruises mar parts of his torso, and I look down,
shame filling every part of me. I bite down on my lip as he slides the window up. “Jesus Christ, Ava.
What the hell are you doing?”

His warm palms meet my soaking wet elbows, and then his entire body is cocooning mine,
lifting me off my feet and into his bedroom. My feet land on his soft carpet, and I look down at the mess I’ve made.
“I’m dirty,” I tell him. 

Inside and out. 

Dirty, dazed and damaged. 



About Jay McLean



Jay McLean is an international best-selling author and full-time reader,

writer of New Adult and Young Adult romance, and skilled procrastinator.

When she’s not doing any of those things, she can be found running after

her three little boys, investing way too much time on

True Crime Documentaries and binge-watching reality TV.


She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh,

make her hurt and make her feel.




Jay lives in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in her dream home where

music is loud and laughter is louder.




For publishing rights (Foreign & Domestic) Film or television,

please contact her agent Erica Spellman-Silverman, at Trident Media Group.



Connect with Jay:
Newsletter:  www.jaymcleanauthor.com











Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Review: Superfan by Sarina Bowen

Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart. 

Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

ONE CLICK ON AMAZON

CHRISTY'S REVIEW: 


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Hockey books are my favorite sports romances and Sarina Bowen writes them so well. Superfan is the third in the ‘Brooklyn’ series. It’s Silas’ book and one I’ve been waiting for.

Silas is the goalie of the Brooklyn Bruisers and he’s a fan of this specific female musician. All of his teammates know and give him a bit of crap, but what they don’t know is Silas has a history with this girl. Right before they both made it big, they met and had a thing. It’s been three years since they’ve seen each other and thanks to a Twitter interaction they have a date.

Delilah is shocked when she sees Silas again. I loved seeing into their past and watching them truly get to know each other. Silas was so sweet, romantic, and really cared for Delilah and I adored them together. Delilah has been through a lot in her life. Even though she seems to have it great now, things still aren’t easy for her. But Silas, he makes everything better.

Superfan is a sweet and steamy slow burn sports romance. I loved the friendship between the team and getting to see all my favorite characters again. Silas may be the best hero of this bunch yet. This was definitely a win!!



5 stars to Another Sky by Jayne Frost




ANOTHER SKY by Jayne Frost
Release Date: June 25th
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Photographer: Lindee Robinson



AVAILABLE NOW!!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited!






Add to Goodreads


WATCH THIS EXQUISITE TRAILER FOR ANOTHER SKY NOW!





Blurb
LIGHTNING ON MY SKIN
THUNDER IN MY SOUL
HEAVY ON MY HEART
YOU WERE MY PERFECT STORM

My world stopped turning six years ago.
My best friend. My best girl.
A burning field in the pouring rain.
I survived, but I left the biggest part of me with them.
And now I sift through the rubble of my broken life.
I didn’t want a second chance.
Redemption. Closure.
Not for me.
Until Gelsey.
A dancer. A dreamer. Everything I’m not.
She’s the light to my dark.
The sun from another sky.
But sunny days never last.
The storm is coming.
And this time when darkness falls, I might surrender.



Christy's Review: 


5 stars


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Lightning on my skin 

Thunder in my soul

Heavy on my heart

You were my perfect storm

 


Another Sky is a story of love, growth, and healing. This was such a beautiful romance, and the writing was so lyrical and stunning. I couldn’t have loved it more.

Miles used to be a rockstar in one of the biggest bands out there. Then one crash took that all away. Along with his best friend and the woman he loved. Miles has never been the same since that day. He’s fought a deep depression and is trying to come out on the other side. 



Gelsey is a promising dancer who makes a lot of sacrifices to get to where she’s at. When she meets Miles at a water therapy class, sparks fly. But not the good ones. It takes a while for these two to warm up to each other, but once they do… it’s incredible. Gelsey is exactly what Miles needs in his life and he might just be what she needs as well.
 
   
A dancer.
A dreamer.
The light to my dark.
And my sun from another sky.

 



Both of these characters had been through so much, especially Miles. His beautiful broken heart. He’s a damaged character for sure, but I loved watching him grow, change, and heal. Gesley also had so much growth in this story. It’s like these two found each other at the exact time they needed one another. It was perfect and so beautiful.


This book can be read as a complete stand-alone, but if you’ve read her ‘sixth street’ series, you will already know Miles and recognize some of the others that make appearances.


Jayne Frost writes some wonderful books. This is her best one to date. If you haven’t read her, you need to. If you’re looking for a book that will make you feel, make you fall in love, and speak to your soul, pick this one up. I adored it and give it 5 stars!
Excerpt
MILES

Gravel crunched under the tires as my truck coasted to a stop on the shoulder of the two-lane highway. Cutting the engine, I sank against the leather upholstery and looked out at the open field. And for a moment, the thin veil separating then and now slipped away, and it was six years ago. On my back beneath the smoke-filled sky, I’d waited for death to claim me. To put an end to the pain.

I was sure it would.

But then I heard the voices. First Rhenn’s—so faint it was nothing more than a whisper.

And then Tori’s.

But not Paige.

Never Paige.

Shifting my gaze to the passenger seat, I almost expected to find her there. But the space was empty. Except for the sealed bottle of Maker’s Mark. Rich, amber liquid whispering promises of peace. Of oblivion.

Lies. All lies.
Because no matter what I drank or smoked or swallowed, peace eluded me. Tranquility had died in this field all those years ago. Crushed under the weight of twisted metal and drowned in the pouring rain.

Grimacing, I dug my fingers into the muscle on my thigh, right over the area where the bone had come through the skin. My leg had suffered the worst of the trauma. Broken femur. Dislocated knee cap. A spiral fracture to my tibia.  Maybe if I weren’t a drummer, it wouldn’t have mattered. But the injuries had silenced my beat. Sadly, there was no grave to mark its passing. No monument to the lost rhythm. Just this empty field.

I guess that’s why I always ended up here. In the place where the music died. Right alongside my best friend and my best girl.

Blowing out a breath, I stashed the bottle in the inner pocket of my leather jacket. Two stints in the psychiatric ward at Millwood, and I knew better than to dance this close to the fire. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t planning on drinking it.

Throwing open the heavy door, I braced a hand on the steering wheel and slid off the seat, making sure to land on my good leg. I didn’t bother with my cane. There was no need for pretense.

Not here.

As I waded into the dried brush, “Blackbird” blared from my phone’s speaker. Tori. I’d lost track of how many times she’d called.

And yeah, I got it. She was concerned.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, we’d been on stage at Zilker Park, capping off the biggest rock festival Austin had ever seen. A Damaged reunion. One last hurrah for the fans. And closure for Tori and me.

Finally.

Except…nothing felt closed.

And as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t talk to Tori about it. Not now.
She’d finally moved on from her grief. Fallen in love again. And in some strange way, that had brought us back together.

After the accident, we’d drifted apart. And that was a good thing. Something we’d needed to do. Because when we had been together, sharing the same space, it was like the sum of our losses was too big. All-consuming.

Knowing that Tori was out there in the world with a heart as heavy as mine had made my own burden a little easier to bear.  

But now I felt the weight of it more acutely than I had in years. A fact I was determined to hide. So, I’d been avoiding her calls.

Reaching the far end of the field, I eased onto the soft ground beneath the burned-out shell of the elm tree where I’d found Rhenn and lost him minutes later.

“Hey, buddy. Guess you know about that gig last night.” My voice fell to a whisper, and I looked down. “Of course you do.” Squeezing my eyes shut, I blew out a staggered breath and pulled the whiskey from my pocket. “It was weird, you know, not having y’all there to celebrate. So I thought I’d bring the celebration to you.”

Twisting off the cap with shaky fingers, I fought the urge to bring the bottle to my lips.

One drink. What could it hurt?

As I pondered throwing away years of sobriety, a gust of wind blew across the field, kicking up topsoil and dust.

Chuckling, I rubbed the sand out of my eyes. “Message received. You don’t have to get all testy about it.”

I wasn’t an alcoholic. Or a drug addict. But booze was still a slippery slope. A year after the crash, I’d landed in rehab from an “accidental” overdose that wasn’t an accident at all. It only took the counselor a week to get to the root of my real problem. Soul-crushing depression—the clinical kind.

They’d fixed me up with medication that kept the dark clouds at bay. Mostly. But I never told anyone about my diagnosis. Somehow it was easier to let people believe I was a drunk.

With a sigh, I turned the bottle upside down. “Miss you, bro.” After the last drop of liquor-soaked into the hallowed ground, I hauled to my feet. “See you on the other side.”
Taking a last look around, I stopped breathing when I spotted a little patch of wildflowers some twenty yards away. Most of the blossoms had wilted on the stems. But a few buds remained.

Red, like Paige’s hair.

After all this time, I’d found her.

My feet moved swiftly with little protest from my bad leg. Brushing a hand over the velvety soft petals, tears spilled onto my cheeks, surprising me. Because I’d never cried for Paige. She didn’t visit me in my dreams. And I couldn’t see her face when I closed my eyes.

That was my penance. The price I’d paid for rejecting her that final night.
But she was here with me now. Her scent on the breeze, and her warmth on my skin. And she gave me the one thing I’d been searching for, even if I didn’t deserve it.

Forgiveness.





About the Author
I grew up in California with a dream of moving to Seattle to become a rock star.

But when the grunge thing didn’t work out (I never even made it to the Washington border) I set my sights on Austin, Texas.

After quickly becoming immersed in the Sixth Street Music scene…and discovering I couldn’t actually sing, I decided to do the next best thing—write kick-ass romances about hot rockstars and the women that steal their hearts.

Connect w/Jayne
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