Author Guest Post
Creep-mance?
Sometimes those alphas get a little scary.
In certain social situations, we expect to meet new people, make new acquaintances, possibly launch meaningful relationships. In other situations…notsomuch. In fact, if a “strange” adult approaches a child, everyone goes on alert. Likewise when an unfamiliar man starts a conversation with a woman. Sure, if you’re out in a bar or at a party, you might expect men and women to exchange numbers.
But what if you’re a woman out alone for a walk or jog? And what if the guy approaches in an isolated spot? That’s what happens to Mandy, the heroine in Trouble Won't Wait. She’s out on a walk, alone, and goes through the cemetery to use the solitude for some soul-searching. This strange—although incredibly hunky—guy walks straight for her and strikes up a conversation…and then admits he watches her every day when she runs by his house.
Um. Creepy? Or flattering? She knows her head isn’t on straight today…too much emotional upheaval. So is that making her more willing to accept Adam’s attention, or more suspicious of him? After all, he’s just a guy, and he’s not acting like a stalker. Other than the confession about eyeballing her from his window. But if he’s really a creep, would he admit to that? Is she nuts for feeling like the whole thing is kinda romantic?
In the end, gut instinct is all she’s got to go on. She doesn’t lug around mace or a Taser, after all, and she probably couldn’t outrun a buff guy like him…even if she wanted to.
Does her instinct steer her wrong?
About The Author
I love sunny days, hot bread, the ocean, and that fluttery feeling I get inside at the first spark of a great romance. In between being a wife, mom of two teens, editor and writer, I like to read, garden, take morning walks, and make people laugh--probably succeed here when I try to jog.
For me, an excellent book has characters I can sympathize with or hate (sometimes both at once), a story I simply must see through to the end, and realistic dialogue. Give me those key elements, and I'll read any genre or time period, any author.
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Book Review
Trouble Won't Wait by Autumn Piper
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: November 5, 2012
Format: eBook - 223 pages / Kindle - 420 KB / Nook 2 MB
ISBN: 1616504226
ASIN: B00A2247EG
Genre: Contemporary Romance
BUY THE BOOK: Trouble Won't Wait
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Buy the Book Tours.
Book Description:
Cheating is a dealbreaker...or so Mandy’s always thought. But when she catches her husband getting some “strange,” she realizes how hard it is to cut and run, or even file papers. She agrees to a month of counseling, which will give her time to grieve the loss of her marriage before she has to tell the world—and the kids.
Then she meets Adam, who gives her a hunky--if mysterious--shoulder to cry on, and that thirty-day waiting period seems like an eternity.
Adam has no problem confessing that he’s watched Mandy from his window for months as she runs by his house. If he told her why, though, she’d freak out for sure. He knows they’ve got a future together, if he can think of a way to explain his past. And he’s sure the rat-bastard who cheated on her is putting the moves on her again, but he won’t be the revenge guy.
The month-long cooling off period she agreed to is lasting forever, and might just be indefinite, if trouble keeps getting in their way.
WARNING: Eccentric old lady pushing salt-of-the-earth advice, bossy big brother, kooky counselor, super-secretive hunk, and perfect justice served amidst adult situations and language.
Book Excerpt:
“How many kids do you have?” The softness in his voice brings my eyes back to his. Great. I must look like a mom, even out running alone. It’s okay, the kids are worth it.
I smile. “Two. Twelve and ten, boy and girl. How ’bout you?”
“No.” He looks away, then back at me.
Why do I feel like there’s a story? It feels like an opening, a tiny doorway leading into a subterranean cavern of sad darkness. Some people might press for more, but I can’t do it, can’t deal with his big sadness. Not today.
Out of anal habit, I look at my watch.
“Do you need to get back?” he asks. “Will somebody be looking for you?”
Is he worried for me, or maybe a crazed stalker calculating how much time he has to kidnap me? I go with the optimistic scenario, and chuckle. “Not as long as the Broncos are on.” Probably not 'til dinnertime. I kick a pile of leaves and watch them scatter over 1905, which lies flat, rather than standing erect.
“You shouldn’t tell a strange man nobody’s coming looking for you, when he has you in a place like this.” His voice is even, low with warning.
My heart races. Fear, or anticipation? You can't rape the willing, as the saying goes. I swallow the fear, hoping he’s just protective. Of what? He barely knows me.
“You don’t look strange.” My flirty voice is on again, and his dimples reappear to reward me. He doesn’t feel strange to me, not at all. It feels good talking to him. “I’m glad you came out here to meet me. Come on, I’ll show you my grandparents.”
Adam follows me over, without a word. Could be he’s dreaming up a way to knock me unconscious before he drags me home under the cover of darkness. At least now we’re visible from the street. When I stop, he comes to stand beside me, very near. I can smell him, his cologne. Drakkar. I hope to God he can’t smell me and my sweat. I hope I smell like pumpkin pie or yams.
I peek sideways at Adam, whose arms are big. He’s looking at me. “You work out,” I say as casually as possible.
He gives a smiling nod. There’s a look in his eyes: the I-want-you look. I haven’t gotten it in a long time, but it feels like I’m returning it! Okay, where is this going? I’m flirting like a fool with a guy who openly admitted to watching me run by his house every day, and made it a point to come introduce himself.
He’s either a stalker, or a guy who finds me totally irresistible. Yeah, that’s a laugh. Or is it? And who am I? I’m angry and lonely, that’s what I am. Angry, yes, but a cheater, no. I won’t have my kids thinking their parents divorced because their mom was a cheater. I just won’t, though I guess it’s not a major concern for their dad.
I smile. “Two. Twelve and ten, boy and girl. How ’bout you?”
“No.” He looks away, then back at me.
Why do I feel like there’s a story? It feels like an opening, a tiny doorway leading into a subterranean cavern of sad darkness. Some people might press for more, but I can’t do it, can’t deal with his big sadness. Not today.
Out of anal habit, I look at my watch.
“Do you need to get back?” he asks. “Will somebody be looking for you?”
Is he worried for me, or maybe a crazed stalker calculating how much time he has to kidnap me? I go with the optimistic scenario, and chuckle. “Not as long as the Broncos are on.” Probably not 'til dinnertime. I kick a pile of leaves and watch them scatter over 1905, which lies flat, rather than standing erect.
“You shouldn’t tell a strange man nobody’s coming looking for you, when he has you in a place like this.” His voice is even, low with warning.
My heart races. Fear, or anticipation? You can't rape the willing, as the saying goes. I swallow the fear, hoping he’s just protective. Of what? He barely knows me.
“You don’t look strange.” My flirty voice is on again, and his dimples reappear to reward me. He doesn’t feel strange to me, not at all. It feels good talking to him. “I’m glad you came out here to meet me. Come on, I’ll show you my grandparents.”
Adam follows me over, without a word. Could be he’s dreaming up a way to knock me unconscious before he drags me home under the cover of darkness. At least now we’re visible from the street. When I stop, he comes to stand beside me, very near. I can smell him, his cologne. Drakkar. I hope to God he can’t smell me and my sweat. I hope I smell like pumpkin pie or yams.
I peek sideways at Adam, whose arms are big. He’s looking at me. “You work out,” I say as casually as possible.
He gives a smiling nod. There’s a look in his eyes: the I-want-you look. I haven’t gotten it in a long time, but it feels like I’m returning it! Okay, where is this going? I’m flirting like a fool with a guy who openly admitted to watching me run by his house every day, and made it a point to come introduce himself.
He’s either a stalker, or a guy who finds me totally irresistible. Yeah, that’s a laugh. Or is it? And who am I? I’m angry and lonely, that’s what I am. Angry, yes, but a cheater, no. I won’t have my kids thinking their parents divorced because their mom was a cheater. I just won’t, though I guess it’s not a major concern for their dad.
My Book Review:
What would you do if you caught your husband in a compromising position with a neighbor's girlfriend?
For Mandy, catching her husband Mike cheating right before her eyes has turned her perfect world upside down. After fourteen years of marriage and two children, Mandy is having a hard time dealing with Mike's infidelity, and she is torn on what to do. Things become more complicated when Mandy meets a handsome mysterious man named Adam Kraft while she is out running. Adam has watched Mandy run past his home for months, and as they get to know each other they become closer, their mutual attraction is getting harder to deny. Mandy is forced to decide whether she wants to save her marriage to Mike, or choose to have a second chance at love with Adam.
Trouble Won't Wait is an emotionally charged story about a woman who discovers her husband's infidelity, the consequences that it has on her marriage, and getting a second chance at love. Author Autumn Piper weaves a poignantly raw tale written in the first person narrative told by Mandy, who takes the reader on a journey as she deals with her husband's infidelity, and the painful and destructive consequences that his actions has on their family and marriage. This emotional roller coaster ride immediately draws you into Mandy's story, you can't help but feel for Mandy as she experiences the full gamut of emotions that comes with such devastating personal issues. This story will make you ponder what would you do if you were in Mandy's shoes.
This compelling story will keep you riveted as Mandy's story unfolds and she goes through the various stages of deciding what to do with her marriage. And if that isn't enough to keep you engaged, the author adds a handsome mysterious man, Adam Kraft, into the mix as a potential new love interest for Mandy, but he has a secret past, can it get any more complicated than that? Can Adam's intense and raw devotion for Mandy be enough to sweep her off her feet? Can their mutual attraction and desire for each other sway Mandy's decision and give her a second chance at love?
With realistic and complex characters; riveting dialogue and interactions; and a storyline that has enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged; Trouble Won't Wait is one woman's emotional journey of love, loss and second chances.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
Thanks for such a thorough and well-written review!
ReplyDelete--Autumn
Hi Autumn! Than you for the opportunity to read, review and host your virtual book tour event. Trouble Won't Wait was a wonderful book, I look forward to reading more of your books. :)
DeleteAwesome Review - Thank you for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteHi! Thank you for stopping by and leaving that nice comment, I appreciate it! :)
Delete