New Release: Amber reviews Lost in Us by Layla Hagen. #giveaway

 
 

 

Lost in Us by Layla Hagen
Publication date: February 17th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

 

 

Synopsis:

Serena has learned to live with her past, locking her secrets and nightmares deep inside her. But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound . . .

The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking.
Electrifying.
And best not repeated.

James is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely, and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes opposites are perfect for each other.

James is everything her damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the power to shatter her.

Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.

Amber's Review:

5+ Star Review by Amber Presley Boyd

Ok let me start by saying that I read a lot. No really, let me reiterate I. READ. . . A LOT! I know good stories and occasionally I read some that are just moderately entertaining. So when I say that Lost in Us blew me away I truly mean it! Over the past few years I rediscovered my love of reading and over the past couple I’ve gotten more involved in this community of amazing romance writers becoming friends with some. So when one of my author friends connected me to Layla Hagen, I was pretty sure she was gonna be a cool chick and I was right! So when Layla asked if I would be interesting in reading and providing a review of her debut novel . . . well since you are reading said review you know my answer. Oh my holy wow was I hooked not even more than a few pages in; I mean we had chocolate obsession, tequila shots and a totally hot guy. Yep I’m easily hooked. Not really, I just know good storytelling when I experience it. This is good storytelling. This is really really good storytelling.

This is the story of two broken souls; both seeking something, but both running from their own dark and twisted pasts. Serena says that she doesn’t believe that two broken souls can make a whole, but I think that these two broken souls find a way to show the other what they need even when James and Serena are afraid to face it, afraid to say it, afraid to accept it, afraid to take the chance. Because love is about chances after all and even though James is the king of taking a risk, he doesn’t believe he can risk his heart. While Serena has just shut her heart off after so many heartbreaks, that even when she knows she loves James taking another chance may just either make her whole or rip her apart.  The way that they connected but then tried to fight their rightness kept me up way late with the need to see how it was all going to play out. Not to mention it was sexy as hell at times, full of a fabulous chocolate fantasy worthy of Willy Wonka and a new take on how to drink a tequila shot (orange and cinnamon? James I think may be on to something); well it all made me love this book!

Lost in Us was emotional from the beginning. I identified at times with Serena as well as James. I loved the two of them together. When they were apart I felt just as shattered as they did and I think I cried more reading this book than I had in some time.  It wasn’t always an ugly cry either sometimes I found myself crying because it was just so damn beautiful! Layla is a fabulous writer, I really can’t say that enough and several times I stopped myself and thought “this is her 1^st book”?! I can’t wait to read what comes next. I loved these characters and I loved their friends and am excited that Parker and Jess are going to have their own story!

So brava Layla!! And to readers everywhere I can’t recommend Lost in Us enough!

Links:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19317460-lost-in-us?from_search=true

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Lost+in+Us+Layla+Hagen&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ALost+in+Us+Layla+Hagen

AUTHOR BIO:

 

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.

I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough 

Author Links:

http://laylahagen.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7520984.Layla_Hagen

https://www.facebook.com/LaylaHagenBooks

https://twitter.com/laylahagen

 

 

Giveaway

-$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal cash (INT)

 

: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Launch: Excerpt and Giveaway for I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3) by Faith Sullivan

Title: I Am Yours (Heartbeat, #3)

Author: Faith Sullivan

Expected release date: October 8, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Ebook available at: Kindle | Nook | Smashwords ($2.99) 

 

Kindle link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FLDTW3W

Nook link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-am-yours-faith-sullivan/1117028924

Smashwords link:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/363643

Goodreads link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17925766-i-am-yours

Book Description:

Book 3 in the HEARTBEAT series

Adam is at a crossroads.

He has Katie on his mind and Jada in his bed.

Now with the ultimate choice before him, he must decide between fantasy and reality.

Katie's his dream girl, but Jada's his best friend, his partner. As a paramedic, he's supposed to save lives, not wreck them. Yet his failure to commit leaves a trail of heartache in his wake.

Things come to a head at his brother's wedding when a surprise announcement leaves Adam scrambling to pick up the pieces. Sure, women find his shaggy blond hair and aquamarine eyes irresistible. But to him, sex is nothing more than a means of escape ... until it turns into a psychological trap.

His mind is telling him one thing, while his heart is beating another. He's not sure what he wants when it comes to a serious relationship. Sorting out his feelings, he finally comes to a startling realization. He is capable of love.

But what if it's too late?

Excerpt:

His shaggy hair is falling in his eyes as water drips from the ends. The buttons of his shirt are undone and droplets cling to his bare chest. His lips are parted and his blue eyes radiate a mixture of elation and desire. He knows that he’s trespassing where he doesn’t belong, but he doesn’t feel the need to ask anyone’s permission to enter my bedroom either.

I tilt my head and gaze up at him, my hair tumbling over my shoulder. He advances toward me, looking somewhat guilty, bordering on apologetic. He realizes he shouldn’t be here, but he is. And I don’t want him to leave. I like the danger of having him so close.

He blinks and raindrops fall from his eyelashes before running down his face. And that’s all it takes for the sheer happiness of the moment to light up my face. I rush toward him as he greets my smile with one of his own. Its sincerity warms my heart as he looks at me like he’s just completed the longest journey of his life, filled with relief at finally reaching his destination. He’s come home. He’s where he’s supposed to be. And if I’m being honest with myself, I feel like I’ve been waiting for him all along.

The force pulling me to him is too strong to ignore. I don’t fight it. I give into it. I let it take me over. I stride up to him, reaching up on my toes, my fingers dancing across his neck as I take his lips with mine. Pressing myself into him, the front of my white t-shirt is soaked instantly. But instead of experiencing any kind of chill, I feel like I’m burning up.

The kiss is gentle this time, lasting only a few seconds before he draws me into a hug, laying his sopping head against my shoulder while wrapping his arms around my waist, drawing me as close as he possibly can to his body. He winces when I squeeze him back tightly, causing him to loosen his grip on me and step away. I reach up one hand at a time to examine his face as he tries to look down, refusing to meet my gaze. Finally, he gives me a mournful smile as I persist. Silencing my worries, he runs a hand lightly across my face before bringing me in for another kiss. He’s so careful with me, so tender. He breaks away to smile at me again, a look of wonderment in his eyes, before resuming our kiss.

Slowly releasing my lips, I allow my hands to roam down his chest as I start to tug on his shirt. He complies with my request, but he seems to be in pain as I help remove the sleeves from his arms. I glance up at him in concern, and he whispers, “My ribs. They were broken not too long ago. I don’t think they ever fully healed.”

He hangs his wet shirt on the bedpost as I run my hand gently over his chiseled abs. He bends his head to the side, closing his eyes. He doesn’t open them as I glide my fingers over the scar on his forehead, where undoubtedly he had stitches at one time. My heart contracts as I ponder what happened to him. He submits to my touch, moving his head along the path of my fingertips, yielding to my efforts to examine him. He doesn’t resist, but I can sense he doesn’t want me to linger on his injuries either.

His hair appears darker now that it’s wet, and I can’t help twisting my fingers through the strands at the back of his neck as he rests his forehead against mine. He’s so close to me. All I can see are his eyes. He leans back, pushing my hair away from my face. The way he is looking at me is like he’s taking in every part of me. It’s hard for him to keep his lips off mine as he brushes a featherweight kiss across them. It feels so intense. I have to look down for a minute.

When I’m ready to meet his eyes again, his hands travel up my sides, encouraging me to lift my arms. I do so, and within seconds, his fingers are at the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and over my head in one swift movement. I help him free my long hair from inside the collar, reaching behind me to hold it up, trying not to think about my bare breasts being visible. He drinks in every inch of me, and that smile is back on his face as his hands caress my back. This time, it’s Adam who lifts my hair away, entwining it through his fingers while resting his chin on my shoulder, allowing his free hand to roam the full expanse of my back from shoulder to hip. I slide my arms around his lean, muscular body as he buries his face against my neck. When he stands upright again, he nuzzles my ear as I extend a trail of kisses along his jaw. He sighs in contentment as his stubble bristles against my lips.

HEARTBEAT Goodreads link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17208265-heartbeat

COME WHAT MAY Goodreads link:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17610498-come-what-may

About the Author:

Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.

Blog link:

http://faithsullivanwrites.blogspot.com/

Goodreads link:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6878936.Faith_Sullivan

Twitter link:

https://twitter.com/_FaithSullivan_

$25 cash giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Paperback giveaway of entire HEARTBEAT series:

 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

 

   

          Heartbeat

     

          by Faith Sullivan

     

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.

         

See the giveaway details

            at Goodreads.

         

Enter to win

 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

 

   

          Come What May

     

          by Faith Sullivan

     

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.

         

See the giveaway details

            at Goodreads.

         

Enter to win

 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

 

   

          I Am Yours

     

          by Faith Sullivan

     

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.

         

See the giveaway details

            at Goodreads.

         

Enter to win

Cover reveal: Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring

 

Synopsis:

Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.

What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future.

Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what's really important.

 

 

 

 About the Author

Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style. 



 After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home.

 When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.

 

 

Connect with Hollie

Twitter: @holliewestring

Website: www.holliewestring.com

Facebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring