Book Review
That's A Promise by Victoria Klahr
Book 1: Promises, Promises Series
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: October 1, 2014
Format: Paperback - 260 pages
Kindle - 2413 KB
ISBN: 978-1620155134
ASIN: B00OAUA5XS
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Book Description:
I’ve been to hell only to find it never really leaves when you get back. It haunts me through nightmares, unrequited love, lies, broken hearts, and now death.
A monster almost took my life.
My best friend carries half my soul a world away.
My boyfriend broke my heart but refuses to let me go.
And my father is dead.
I don’t believe in fate and I don’t believe in happily-ever-afters, but for some reason, I still hope.
Live, even with a tainted spirit.
Long for my other half to come back to me.
Risk another broken heart, just to feel loved again.
And refuse to let another horror break me.
In the face of my most recent tragedy, I have to decide whether forgiveness is something I can give. But even if that’s an option, can I be forgiven?
That's A Lie by Victoria Klahr
Book 2: Promises, Promises Series
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
Format: Paperback - 318 pages
Kindle - 997 KB
Nook - 504 KB
ISBN: 978-1620156421
ASIN: B00U05YLOGBNID: 2940151659581
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Book Description:
When he walked back into my life, it almost felt like the pieces of my broken heart could be fixed. I thought we could go back to being best friends, but then I started to feel what I had been blocking out for years. I tried. Boy, did I try! But once I started to let him in, I wanted nothing more than to cross that line from friendship into something more…
Just when I think I can move on and let myself be happy, an ugly reminder from my past comes storming in and threatens to destroy the sliver of hope that’s been growing since Seth came back.
Do I even deserve to be loved?
“I’m not asking to fix your heart. I’m not asking to mend you. I love each and every shattered piece of you. I’m asking that you let me love you. Let me love each piece of your broken heart, and I swear to you I will make up for every heartache you have ever experienced.”
I came back for Josie.
I knew I’d have to fight for her, but with the loss of her dad and the truth about what happened with her and Blake, I quickly realized that making her mine was going to be a lot harder than I first thought. The problem is, I can’t pretend like she’s just my best friend. I can’t pretend I don’t want more.
I’m willing to do anything to get her to admit she has the same passionate feelings for me, because I know once she opens up and stops lying to herself, I can show her what it really means to be loved. It’s a battle of wills, but my love for her is stronger than her will to stop me.
So I fight for her. I fight because I know she deserves it.
Book Excerpt:
I was instantly distracted as I walked into the space. Seth. Shirtless. I don't think I need to explain my lack of focus. Or the drool.
"You lied to me," he said gruffly, sitting on the barstool at my counter. His blond hair flopped in front of his eyes, and my hands itched to push it back. Touching him again the way I wanted to would satisfy only a millimeter of the need I have, but it would relieve some of the pain. I turned around to hide my thoughts.
"Ugh . . . I need coffee," I said vacantly, reaching for my coffee maker. I didn't even hear Seth move, but his hand grabbed mine and he turned me around, placing his hands beside me on the countertop to trap me. My breath caught, and I was positive he could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
His blue-green eyes screamed hurt and anger, but I didn't even care about him being mad. All that mattered was the charge that thumped between us. I was very aware of him.
"You lied, Josie. You're not supposed to lie to me."
"Seth . . . Come on," I said, turning my face away, unable to look at the raw emotion in his expression. His hand dashed out and grabbed my chin.
"How long, Josie?" he asked. I closed my eyes, not wanting to admit anything. "Open your damn eyes, Jos. Stop fucking hiding." His voice was hard, but it was also full of desperation. I opened my eyes and narrowed them at him.
He didn’t understand that I needed to keep him away from me. My life is tainted by darkness, and he doesn't need that. Yes, I lied to the one person who I said I wouldn't deceive again, but it was for his own good!
"It doesn't matter, Seth. I'm fine."
"Like fucking hell it doesn't matter. I haven't heard you scream like that since your nightmares after you were raped!"
The haunting reminder brought back vivid memories of that time. He or one of my dads would come lay with me to help me fall asleep. Every day that Seth wasn't in school, he was there with me, trying to make the nightmares go away.
"Since the engagement party," I whispered, looking down. I don't know why I admitted it, but I think part of me realized I couldn't hold on to all this pain anymore.
That's when my resolve started to break. How long could I go on fighting the feelings that I have for Seth? How long could I act like nothing hurts me?
"Fuck, Jos . . . ," he whispered back, placing his forehead against mine. His signature smell of hay and apple pie drifted around me, and I almost lost my footing from wanting him so bad. "You should have told me."
"I didn't want you to worry."
"I worry about you every second you're not with me, Pussycat. Every second that you hide behind that wall you've built, I wonder when you're going to crack." His hand reached up to caress my face, and I leaned into his touch. It was only an infinitesimal movement, but I still heard Seth's breath hitch. My lapse in self-control made him bold. He brought his mouth to the side of mine, and kissed me. I couldn't stop the whimper before it escaped my mouth.
"There you are," he whispered hoarsely against my lips, always seeing me, even when I didn’t want him to. I wanted to bask in the moment, but I had already opened up to him too much. I pushed through his barricade and ran back to my room.
"I've got to help Dad at the garage today," I threw out as an explanation, and then I went to hide in my shower.
"You lied to me," he said gruffly, sitting on the barstool at my counter. His blond hair flopped in front of his eyes, and my hands itched to push it back. Touching him again the way I wanted to would satisfy only a millimeter of the need I have, but it would relieve some of the pain. I turned around to hide my thoughts.
"Ugh . . . I need coffee," I said vacantly, reaching for my coffee maker. I didn't even hear Seth move, but his hand grabbed mine and he turned me around, placing his hands beside me on the countertop to trap me. My breath caught, and I was positive he could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
His blue-green eyes screamed hurt and anger, but I didn't even care about him being mad. All that mattered was the charge that thumped between us. I was very aware of him.
"You lied, Josie. You're not supposed to lie to me."
"Seth . . . Come on," I said, turning my face away, unable to look at the raw emotion in his expression. His hand dashed out and grabbed my chin.
"How long, Josie?" he asked. I closed my eyes, not wanting to admit anything. "Open your damn eyes, Jos. Stop fucking hiding." His voice was hard, but it was also full of desperation. I opened my eyes and narrowed them at him.
He didn’t understand that I needed to keep him away from me. My life is tainted by darkness, and he doesn't need that. Yes, I lied to the one person who I said I wouldn't deceive again, but it was for his own good!
"It doesn't matter, Seth. I'm fine."
"Like fucking hell it doesn't matter. I haven't heard you scream like that since your nightmares after you were raped!"
The haunting reminder brought back vivid memories of that time. He or one of my dads would come lay with me to help me fall asleep. Every day that Seth wasn't in school, he was there with me, trying to make the nightmares go away.
"Since the engagement party," I whispered, looking down. I don't know why I admitted it, but I think part of me realized I couldn't hold on to all this pain anymore.
That's when my resolve started to break. How long could I go on fighting the feelings that I have for Seth? How long could I act like nothing hurts me?
"Fuck, Jos . . . ," he whispered back, placing his forehead against mine. His signature smell of hay and apple pie drifted around me, and I almost lost my footing from wanting him so bad. "You should have told me."
"I didn't want you to worry."
"I worry about you every second you're not with me, Pussycat. Every second that you hide behind that wall you've built, I wonder when you're going to crack." His hand reached up to caress my face, and I leaned into his touch. It was only an infinitesimal movement, but I still heard Seth's breath hitch. My lapse in self-control made him bold. He brought his mouth to the side of mine, and kissed me. I couldn't stop the whimper before it escaped my mouth.
"There you are," he whispered hoarsely against my lips, always seeing me, even when I didn’t want him to. I wanted to bask in the moment, but I had already opened up to him too much. I pushed through his barricade and ran back to my room.
"I've got to help Dad at the garage today," I threw out as an explanation, and then I went to hide in my shower.
My Book Review:
That's A Promise is the first book in the Promises, Promises Series. It is an emotional story about love lost, found, abandoned, and refound. Author Victoria Klahr weaves an intriguing tale that will captivate the reader's attention from the very beginning, and take them on an emotional roller coaster ride as they follow Blake, Josie and Seth's story.
This story follows Josie Sommers' journey, and her relationship with longtime best friend Seth Montgomery, and Blake Porter who she met in college. The storyline alternates from the past and present, describing the love triangle between Josie, Seth, and Blake. It is a story that is full of secrets, betrayal, sexual tension, learning how to forgive, and coming clean with one another. Josie doesn't live a fairytale life, but her personal journey is about coping with life experiences, surviving, and trying to heal from a terrible traumatic attack that happened to her a few years ago. That's A Promise is full of drama, angst, and intriguing twists and turns that has a cliffhanger ending, and leaves the reader wanting more.
That's A Lie continues Josie, Seth, and Blake's story seamlessly where it left off in That's A Promise. Author Victoria Klahr once again draws the reader back into this trio's emotional story. There is more drama, angst, and intriguing twists and turns told in alternating points of view with a focus on Seth's return and determination to win Josie's heart. If you think the author took the readers on an emotional roller coaster ride in the first book, get ready because you will once again feel the full gamut of emotions as the story unfolds. Josie and Seth's journey is so riveting, you can't help but cheer them on and hope that they can find love and happiness. But alas, the author once again leaves the reader anticipating and wanting more as it has another cliff hanger ending. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for the readers in the third book of the series!
The Promise, Promise Series is an amazing series of new adult romance stories that are full of drama, emotion, and romantic angst that keeps the reader captivated and wanting more!
RATING: 5 STARS
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the books from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
Buy The Books: Promises, Promises Series
Book 1: That's A Promise
Book 2: That's A Lie
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About The Author
Victoria Klahr (pronounced “Claire”) lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina with her husband and daughter, Stephen and Alexis. She loves her chug (Pug/Chihuahua), Bandit, and daughter to pieces. She is a huge and proud book nerd who looks at her bookshelf in admiration daily. When she’s not daydreaming about book boyfriends and fantasizing about being a badass heroine like Rose Hathaway, she’s busy doing schoolwork for her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and writing the stories that speak to her in her head. She loves peanut butter with Oreos, good friends, amazing gossip, driving in the middle of merge lanes, comedies, crude humor, pretending like she can dance, pretending like she can kick major ass, and a really, really good laugh.
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April 20 - Forget the Housework,I’m Reading – Review
April 21 - ABlue Million Books – Excerpt
April 21 - CafinatedReads – Excerpt
April 22 - Chick Lit Plus – Review
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