Reckless Abandon

November Harris is lost. After a failed romance with musician Bo Cavanaugh, Ember is left struggling to regain her true self. The problem is, Bo won’t go away and Ember's stance is firm—she doesn't want him back.

Adrian Turner, Ember's ex-boyfriend-turned confidant, is patient with her heartbreak, but he can't hold back his own feelings forever.

As she sorts through her past, in an effort to plan a solid future, Ember will find that sometimes even the best laid plans bow to the soul's desire for reckless abandon.

To say that I LOVED this book is an understatement!  Who ever said that the sequel never lives up to the original never read an Andrea Randall book!  Reckless Abandon brings us right back where Ten Days of Perfect left off.  Ember is hurt and lost.  The man she knew for a short 10 days, the man that rocked her world, is gone.  He maybe gone physically but mentally Bo was never far.  Ember tries to pick up the pieces and in the process finds she is falling into old habit by the name of Adrian.  Ember is fighting to forget the one man that took hold of her soul.  In the way a beautifully written song can strip you to your core, Bo is the music and lyrics to Ember’s life song.  How long can Ember last without the man who completes the soundtrack of her life?

 “He fills my thoughts, my dreams, and my nightmares. The memory of him, and his touch, pound on the door to my soul with such force that cracks are forming in the wood. I do my best to act like no one is home by keeping the door locked and the lights off.”  

First I have to say BRAVO!  Andrea has proven that “one hit wonder” isn't even on her radar.  Andrea’s writing grabs hold of you from page one.  I read this book weeks ago and yet it feels as if I just put it down.  Words are a powerful tool and with that said I never want to meet Andrea in a dark alley!  Because that chicks got mad skills!  The way her words flood the page and with the feelings they create its no wonder everyone I talk to about this book agrees that Reckless Abandon is an amazingly written story.

I fell in love with both Ember and Bo the moment The Wailin’ Jennys lyrics poured from their lips in Ten Days of Perfect.  All of the characters in Reckless Abandon grab hold of you!  Well I take that back everyone EXCEPT Ainsley!  I know I know she was a necessary evil but boy do I hate her!  But on the brighter side we got to meet Regan and we now know that he will be the continuing story in book three of the November Blue series.  Once you read this book and hit the 73% mark you will know what is just so special about Regan!  Be ready for a reading marathon!  This is a read that will keep you tied to your e-reader till you read “The End”.  Once again Andrea has made me fall in love with a story that I will never forget and will be sure to read over and over again so a HUGE thank you is in order!  I am looking for to many more late night reads brought to life via one Andrea Randall!!   

The Interview:

1.      What was the inspiration behind Ember's character?  I wanted to read something other than the helpless virgin who finds herself unattractive, honestly. I wanted to get to the meat of a relationship and the meat of insecurities that go way beyond what happens in a mirror.

2.      I love that she comes from a free spirited back ground…is there a little of you in Ember? There is. She’s a fantasy version of myself; hippie parents, living on the beach, free to do as she pleases.

3.      Can you tell us a little about how you came up with the concept for Ten Days of Perfect? I broke my leg in April 2012. With loads of time on my hands I was reading a ton and decided I wanted to create an MC like I described above. I knew there had to be a musician, because music’s really important to me. I put that on the back burner, wrote the first “garage” scene, and took it from there.

4.      Did you find it hard to create the story within a ten day time frame? That kind of just happened. I knew it was going to be a lightning-quick attraction-explosion...then I heard Jose Gonzalez’s “Heartbeats” and thought “okay, I can do ten days. That sounds good.”

5.      Reckless Abandon has Ember making some hard life choices and I almost felt that there were points that the book could have went two totally different paths.  Did you have a clear cut end when you are started writing Reckless Abandon?  I thought I did. Then I didn’t. Then I decided to let them lead the way. The original outline for Reckless Abandon is QUITE different from how it turned out. I got a little too attached to Adrian for a second, so I went and wrote a bunch of Bo scenes to see where we stood. I made Bo prove some things to me.

6.      You have written two books with very strong secondary characters.  Can you share if you have books in the works for those characters? I do have plans for books for them. :) I can’t share much more than that without giving away the ending to RA. BUT, I can say, we WILL see Regan Kane again, hopefully soon.

7.      Will continue Ember’s story into a third book? It will. And, thank you for calling it “Ember’s story,” because, it is. :)

8.      Music became its own character in both of your books.  I know that the title of Ten Days of Perfect and Embers name were taken from songs.  Do you find it easier to relate your words with music?   I always have songs and soundtracks playing in my head. I want the books to read like one long love song.

9.      If you had to sum up both books in one song what would that song be? Oh Jesus. Um. OKAY...just off the top of my head.... “If You Ever Come Back” by The Script.

10.  Do you have a person moment of reckless abandonment that you can share? This writing thing I find myself doing ;)

11.  Now that Reckless Abandon is out and there is amazing feedback is there anything you would change? Not a thing.

Ten Days of Perfect is available for Kindle and paperback through Amazon now!

I started writing poetry long before writing fiction. I firmly believe Poetry is a solid foundation for all other forms of writing. It taught me that a single word can make or break the world.

I write fiction because my characters have a story and they want me to tell it. 

I hope you enjoy the pieces of my soul that I share with you.

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Blurb:

For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

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RADIO INTERVIEW WITH 

RUNAWAY TRAIN

Location: Austin, Texas on Runaway Train’s Tour Bus 

What: Phone interview with Pam and Jenn from Austin Local Radio Station 

When: Day after Rock Nation 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pam: This is Pam and Jenn coming at you live from Austin’s Rocked out studios! Jenn: We have the guys of Runaway Train with us on the phone fresh off the huge Rock Nation music festival! *sound drop of an out of control crowd*

Pam: We both know how much you guys rock but can I get a roll call for the listeners out there? Names and what you do?

Brayden: Thanks for having us on your show, ladies.

AJ: She said roll call, not suck up time.

Brayden: Shut up.

Jake: Well, as the front man, I’ll go first since I’m most important.

Rhys: *muttering* Douchebag

Jake: Anyway, I’m Jake Slater—lead singer, guitarist, and song writer for Runaway Train

Brayden: I’m Brayden Vanderburg, and I’m lead guitarist, background vocals, and I also do songwriting.

Rhys: I’m Rhys McGowan, and I’m the bassist.

AJ: Saving the best for last. I’m AJ Resendiz, and I’m the drummer. I really know what to do with a stick…..and I also do some background vocals.

Jenn: Sounds like four of you have your hands full! Pam: Right!!! What or who do you do to wind down after a show like Rock Nation…the groupies must be lining up for a ticket to the bus after the show *both laugh out loud*

Brayden: Well, there are no groupies for me. I’ve been happily married for five years, so after the show, I’m usually talking or Skyping with my wife, Lily, and our two children, Jude and Melody.

Jake: Bray is the Old Fart of the group.

AJ: *snickering* You got that right.

Brayden: Yeah, well, what these guys aren’t saying is they can get pretty geriatric after a show. Like crawl in the bed and sleep for hours and days.

Jake: That’s because not only have we put everything we had into a show, we’ve usually burned off all the excess adrenaline with some lovely ladies.

Rhys: Damn straight

Pam: So I heard through the grapevine that you have a bus guest? Truth? *sound bite of the Jeopardy thinking music*

Jake: Oh fuck…I, erm, I mean…

Rhys: Oh no, you made the bet, so you should be the one to explain it, asswipe.

Jake: *groaning* Okay, so yes, we have a guest on our bus. Her name is Angel.

Brayden: Talking about her like that makes her sound like a stripper. Tell them the truth.

Jake: Fine. Her name is Abby. She’s a singer, and she accidentally got on the wrong bus. Okay?

AJ: Nice stall job, man. Why don’t you tell them about how she accidentally fell into your bed, and instead of falling for your charms, she nailed you in the balls?

Rhys and Brayden: *laughing*

Jake: Whatever. She’s a real piece of work that’s for sure.

Jenn: Sound like you are going to have your hands full boys! Pam: *jumps in with a little too much excitement* Jake how do you think you will fair with Abby in the bus?

Jake: I’ll be fine. I know how to handle women.

AJ: *snickering* Oh, you don’t know how to handle this one.

Rhys: Jake’s just saying that because for the first time ever, he’s met a chick who isn’t swooning for him or intimidated by him.

Jake: Whatever…next question please.

Together: Oh to be a fly on the wall for the next week! You think I can get a follow up interview on Sunday *snickers*

Pam: Did I just hear the Abby put you in your place Jake? *drops sound bite of a whip crack* She must be some lady!

Brayden: Abby is a true lady, and you can bet that she’s going to keep Jake on his toes for the remainder of the week.

Rhys: *wistfully* She’s something all right…

AJ: Seriously she’s gorgeous. And she wears dresses like a lady too

Jake: *snorting* Oh yeah, those sundresses showing her fabulous rack and fantastic legs are really lady like.

Jenn: Ok all joking aside what’s next? You have just about 3 weeks left one the tour and a new album after that. Anything you can share?

Jake: Bray and I have been working on a lot of new material for the album

AJ: You’re not going to mention the duet? *smacks* Ow, dude, what the hell?

Rhys: Yeah, Jake, tell the listeners about the duet you wrote with Abby

Jake: *mumbling under his breath* Yeah, so I’ve written my first duet—

AJ: Like ever…the guy NEVER does collaborating with anyone, but he’s written a song with Abby.

Jake: Like I was saying, it’s a duet called “I’ll Take You with Me”. I plan on recording it with her too.

Pam: Ok guys we are going to take a call…Cris your on with Runaway Train…OMG!!!! *long ear piercing scream* I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Each and every one of you! YOU SO ROCKED OUT ROCK NATION!!!!! * continuous screams* Jenn: Wow! *mutes the phone line mid scream* Guys how do you deal with that? Pam: Right! How can you live your life? I also think it’s best if we drop this call. Cris you rock but this is about the guys.

Jenn: Never a dull moment!

Pam: Well I think we have taken enough of your time this morning. Good luck with the rest of the tour! Good luck with the new album. Most of all…Good luck with the little sassy thing on your bus this week! *sound bite of Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train* Jenn: Let the games begin!

Pam: Be sure to stop and see the guys on the last leg of the tour and you can pick up their current album on iTunes and be on the lookout for the new album! Both: Thanks and hope to chat soon…Jenn: Maybe Sunday! *both snicker and laugh*

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.

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An Epic Rock Star Novel

What if you discover the man you want is toxic?

She tasted a little bit of heaven with him, and now they’ve gone through hell and back, but can their relationship take anymore?

Valerie Quinn is a naïve college freshman when she meets on-the-rise rock star Ethan Richards. He’s an idealistic, handsome, reckless young man, but he’s captured her heart. She doesn’t give up on him and eventually his walls crumble down. By the time Valerie has given herself to him completely, she discovers he’s damaged and may be beyond help. Can she save Ethan and their relationship before he implodes, or will he self-destruct and take her with him?

Once he sat down next to me, he started laughing again, this time uncontrollably.  I couldn’t figure out what was so funny, but his laughter was infectious.  Soon I started giggling at him, and I didn’t finish until my stomach ached.

But then his face got serious again, and he stroked my cheek.  “Sorry about earlier.  I guess we put you in an uncomfortable position.  I didn’t know you didn’t smoke pot.”

“I was accused of being prude in high school more than once.”

He placed his hand on my thigh.  “Oh, I don’t think you’re prude, Val.  You just haven’t met your drug of choice, and you definitely haven’t met the right guy.”

His hand was warm.  I was staring at it and deciding if I wanted to push it off my leg or not.  As usual, though, I couldn’t resist Brad…flirting with him or anything else.  So I said, “Meaning you’re the wrong guy?”

He smirked at me, and I wished I could figure out what he was thinking.  “Yeah, I’m sure I’m the wrong guy, but I can feel like the right one if you let me try.”

I don’t know why, but his words were exactly what I needed to hear in that hazy state, and I felt like the most special girl in the world then.  Brad had that effect on me, and I think it’s because I’d never seen him with another female…ever.  It allowed me to believe him.  Someone like Ethan, though…it was evident that he loved women, but he loved allof them.  Whether Brad had designs on other girls or not, I didn’t know, because I’d never seen him hit on other girls when I was around.  It was like he only had eyes for me.  And I don’t have any idea why, because—even though that sexual attraction was there—I didn’t feel like I was encouraging him at all.  He knew I was hung up on Ethan.  He’d known that from the first day I’d met him.

“Did I tell you already how much I like this skirt?”

In spite of my muddled emotions (or because of them), I liked his hand on my thigh and a deep, dark part of me that I would never admit to thought I wouldn’t mind if he moved his hand even higher.  But I struggled to maintain control.  Still, I couldn’t stop myself from flirting.  “Your eyes did.”

He took his hand off my leg and placed it on the back of my neck while his lips touched mine.  The passion—yes, it was still there, murky and bottomless, threatening to consume us both, but somehow he had a grip on himself.  I didn’t know if it was the pot helping him to slow down, but this kiss was notlike the kisses we’d shared in the past, as few as they’d been.  This kiss felt like an exploration…not just of my mouth but of what was between us.  It was questioning, probing, moving slowly, hoping to find something.

And, yeah, whether I wanted to admit it or not, my judgment was impaired, although I don’t think Brad could have been considered a bad choice for anything.  But my code—the notion I had that I needed to love the man I lost my virginity to—was thrown out the window with the too hot air in his van.

And after luxuriating in his sweet kisses for several minutes, he kissed my neck, and those nerves must have been connected to my nipples and my pussy, because the sensations vibrated to those places and past them to my core.  Oh, God, I wanted Brad like I’d never wanted anyone else.  To hell with the code.  So when he said, “Come on up here,” and placed his hands under my arms to help lift me on his lap, I went with the flow.  My legs were bent at the knees as I positioned myself on top of him, straddling him.  Oh, it would be so easy, and I tingled all over in anticipation of what was sure to follow.

He started kissing me again and, in spite of my feeling of relaxation, I could feel my muscles respond to his touch over my entire body, and I could tell I was breathing heavier too.  I’d been running my fingers through his thick, soft hair, but now I decided to act with abandon.  I felt my way to the bottom of his shirt, but I wasn’t just going to be coy and run my hand on his skin underneath.  Oh, no.  I was going to take his shirt off.  I wanted to feel all of his skin.  I’d never done it, and I knew he had a firm body and just the slightest amount of hair on his skin to make him look deliciously masculine.  I’d seen it enough times that I wanted to touch it.  He leaned forward to help me and grabbed it too to help pull it off.  And then he thrust his fingers in my hair followed by his tongue in my mouth again, and I felt as though every nerve fiber in my body was ready to start singing.  So when I felt his hands on the bottom of my t-shirt, I just pulled my head away from him and lifted my arms.  He set my shirt on top of his on the seat beside us and placed his hands on my cheeks to pull my mouth to him again.

I think he knew I needed to move slowly, because he didn’t just grab my breasts even though they were right there, and I probably would have let him.  Instead, he moved his hands to the small of my back and, while still kissing me, moved them up, just feeling every square inch of bare skin below my bra strap.

Meanwhile, my hands were enjoying feeling his chest and abs.  His skin was smooth but firm underneath, and as I explored, I felt him growing hard underneath me.  Oh…that felt really nice, the feeling of his penis up against me, right where he belonged.  His jeans and my panties were all that separated that joining, because my skirt wasn’t impeding us at all.

       He moved his lips to my neck once again, and I heard a breath of air rush out of my mouth.  This time, though, he kept moving down and began kissing the tops of my breasts that weren’t covered by my bra.  Yeah, this felt way too good to stop.  I was unaware of everything else—of the almost uncomfortable, stifling warmth in the van, of the world around us.  It was just Brad and me.

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FULL CD:

 New American Gospel by Lamb of God

ITUNES | AMAZON

just because I’m a huge LoG fan!

Blood by In This Moment

ITUNES | AMAZON

This album is crucial for many reasons. First off, if the character of Val in full metal persona should remind you of anyone and she doesn’t remind you of Lita Ford, she should remind you of Maria Brink. More than that, though, there are two songs that I played a lot while writing particular scenes. The song “Burn” helped me when I wrote the scene where Val realizes who she really loves (“There was a song in my head that played, one that would never be written, one I’d never sing, but one that my soul was singing for him, crying for him, one that would never not need him”—chapter 36) and “Adrenalize,” for the HOT scenes before—chapters 35 and 36).

§ Shadows are Security-As I Lay Dying: In case you hadn’t already heard, former bassist for AILD, Clint Norris, was the inspiration for Jet’s look, so I had to channel that through the music, especially the songs where he sings clean vocals: “Through Struggle,” “Confined,” and “The Darkest Nights.”

 No Time to Bleed by Suicide

ITUNES | AMAZON

(fueled writing the scenes where Ethan and Val first meet). Also “…and Then She Bled”—the feel of that song goes well with the scene where Val was drugged (chapter 26).

The Black Crown by Suicide

ITUNES | AMAZON

Because I imagined Fully Automatic to sound a lot like Suicide Silence, I listened to all their music, especially when I wrote the scenes where Val first meets the band (honestly, I listened to all three CDs while writing the first five or six chapters of the book!)

The Cleansing by Suicide

ITUNES | AMAZON

SONGS:

§ “Tempest”-Deftones (various Brad and Val scenes, not to mention that this is one of my new fave songs!)

§ “Moon Baby”-Godsmack (Ethan on guitar having an alpha male moment when Val first meets the band)

§ “So Hott”-Kid Rock (Sweetheart Dance)

§ “Gone Sovereign/Absolute Zero”-Stone Sour (Another new fave song, and a little angry, good for channeling Ethan)

§ “Still Swingin” and “Where Did the Angels Go”-Papa Roach (more new favorites)

§ “Pleasure and Pain”-Gemini Syndrome (Good for channeling how Val feels about Ethan)

§ “Soldierhead”-Newsted (Another new favorite song!)

§ “Chalk Outline”-Three Days Grace (Fave)

§ “Forgive and Forget” and “Relentless Chaos” Miss May I (More for channeling the “feel” of Fully Automatic)

§ “Hollow”-Alice in Chains (Fave)

§ “Crewcabanger”-Chelsea Grin (Ethan and Val get NASTY in the hallway! Also reminiscent of Fully Automatic’s sound)

§ “94 Hours,” “Parallels,” and cover of Judas Priest’s “The Hellion/ Electric Eye”-As I Lay Dying (one of Val’s favorite bands, so I had to listen!!!) § “Open Your Eyes”-Guano Apes (Wake up, Valerie!!!)

I always play music when I write, and Bullet was no exception.  In this playlist, some of this music I was just listening to some of it was for inspiration (which I note below):

Jade C. Jamison was born and raised in Colorado, moved from one city/town to the next, and she’s decided she likes it so much she wants to stay…although travel is not out of the question. She lives in a big town in Colorado (not unlike Winchester!) with her husband and four children. She is working on becoming a crazy cat lady. Okay, so maybe not. 

Still want more? Jade has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Theater, a master’s degree in English, and a master of fine arts in Creative Writing. Obviously, she loves school and the student loan folks love her. She works in human services by day, teaches English and creative writing at night, and—in between playing soccer mom and community leader—writes like a fiend. Someday soon, she’ll narrow it down to just writing, but let’s get all those kids off to college first. 

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Jesika Reynolds’ heart was left broken one year ago when her husband died, leaving her and her son alone in this world. Slowly, she started putting the pieces back together of her life. Knowing that she may never open herself up to love again. That was until the day Derek came into the picture.

Why does this gorgeous stranger seem to care so much, so suddenly?

Derek Jordan's charm drew her in with an instant connection, and familiarity that helps her feel at ease. Her heart is falling at his feet, but as their relationship grows, so does a secret from both of their pasts that neither saw coming. One by one, the threads slowly start to unravel.

Can their newly sought love stand up against the secrets that life is unlocking to their pasts? Or can they decide together that moving forward and forgetting the past is the only option for them to find true happiness?

Prologue 

*Jake* 

I was born into the Silver Platter type of lifestyle. The good life as most people would call it was always at my fingertips. My mother, being the single rich mom that she was, was hardly ever around. She wasn’t cut out for having kids or being any sort of positive role model. In fact, she always had my daily activities so mapped out that it would be damn near impossible to ever interfere with anything she had going on. As a child, I knew my mom loved me, but also knew she just didn’t know how to show it; or more like she didn’t care to show it. Being the only parental influence I had around, she was the one I really looked up to. She dated a lot of men and called it being social; I called it being a hussy. I was around her enough to know how she was willing to do anything to get her way and keep working her way up the social ladder. I know you can’t always blame the way you are based on how you were brought up, but in my case I do. 

Amateur MMA fighting had become a welcomed outlet in my tightly put together life. It wasn’t that I had a temper, well not much of one. It was purely just a much needed release for me. Stepping into that ring always held such an unpredictable outcome; it was the unknown that I craved. There were no guarantees that once I was on the other side of that tightly pulled elastic that I’d come out a winner or come out with my ass beat. Either or, it never really mattered to me. Whether it was my fist connecting or my face being connected with, I’d never felt more alive in all my life. That was until Jesika came into the picture. 

I knew she was special, that there was something different about her. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was unlike any of the girls that had ever crossed my path. And more than anything, I knew I didn’t deserve her . . .but that didn’t stop me. I was a selfish prick who was always willing to do anything to get what he wanted; obviously a trait I picked up from my mother. Jesika had instantly become my obsession and I didn’t bat a fucking eye at pushing away who ever I needed to win her over and keep her put. 

Looking back now, I regret so much. I hurt people like I didn’t have a fucking conscience. Who am I kidding? I pretty much didn’t back then. But now, I’d give anything to go back and fix it all. Shit’s about to hit the fan and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I hate not having control of the situation or knowing what the outcome holds. Tonight might be the last time I’m able to hold my wife. I tried turning my mind off while we were out; making sure I savored every kiss, held her hand a little longer than normal, put as many smiles on her face as possible and made her laugh every chance I could. Now as I watch her sleep on our way home, I can’t help the few tears threatening to fall down my face. I have everything I need or could ever want in the seat right next to me, and I had to fuck it up. Everyone makes mistakes; some are bigger than others and hold graver consequences. Mine was one of the big ones. 

I can’t take back what I did, or the man it’s going to paint me out to be. Glancing over at Jesika who is now lightly snoring I catch something running towards the road. I instantly slam on the brakes, but it does no good. That damn deer has everyone swerving and slamming on their brakes all at once. The feeling I’ve had all night of knowing I was about to lose my family is ringing loud and clear in my head right now. I know I’ve lost it all as I watch the cars that are unable to stop come closer and closer to my side of the car. I silently send up a prayer that Jesika makes it. My son needs his mother, and I can’t stand the idea of him losing both of us tonight. I silently pray that she is able to forgive me one day and move forward from this. I grab her hand telling her I love her as the deafening screeching of brakes and metal crunching takes over all my thoughts.

Erika Taylor was born into the army lifestyle as an only child. Being the only child, she learned to keep herself entertained by unleashing her inner tomboy. Fishing, navigating through the woods and tree climbing were a few of her favorite escapes as a child along with her fast growing love of video games. While she is still a down home girl at heart, she grew to love music and left the wildness behind. She is a devoted lover of music and a closet groupie. Genre of choice is always rock but she has been known to kick it old school from time to time and jam to the 90s greatest hits. Her passion for music fueled her imagination and she has since found at age twenty-nine that she loves to read. While reading didn’t seem to interest her growing up you will almost always find her with her nose in a book nowadays. Erika is currently a native to Oklahoma where she lives with her husband and five small children that they have combined between the two of them. She admits to loving caramel frappe’s, getting her hair done, Ace Ventura When Nature Calls and candy of choice being Airheads. She blames The Hunger Games book series for her newly formed addiction to reading, which has since brought on her desire to write. She is currently working on her debut novel “Moving Forward” set to release May 3rd, 2013. 

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Bailey Gray is tired of her perfectly planned life. Everything about her life has been organized and lived out to the expectations set of her parents. She is the class valedictorian, has perfect grades, the perfect friends, a perfect boyfriend, basically perfect life...or so everyone thought. That's when she realizes the path planned isn't always the path chosen.

On graduation day she makes a decision. One that changes everything she thought she knew about her intended future.

On a whim, she runs away with the town rebel, Dylan Wade, in search of the unknown.

Dylan Wade isn't looking to run away from anything.

He knows what he wants as he's been waiting on it for years.

On a journey to find the unknown, they discover a friendship they once knew along the open highway and have not a care in the world. Between the yellow and white lines of the heated summer asphalt, a spark draws them together as Dylan's past and Bailey future try to ripe them apart. 

Could it be that Dylan and his GTO are exactly what her perfectly planned life needs?

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Judging by its cover, I got my tissue box ready, anticipating tears to shed from eyes. But for most part of the book, I was laughing my ass off. Bailey was a fun character to read. I did use my tissue though, but that was to wipe away the drool. This book was oh so damn SEXY! It was amazing and I was simply blown away! 

I've got really no big expectations from the book as this was my first read from Shey Stahl's collection, but believe me when I say that she has done an excellent job in creating real characters, not cookie-cutter people. She was able to transcend raw emotions and find the voice of this book...profound...I have never been touched in such a way, a true testament of Shey's amazing writing skills in the way she was able to capture such emotional scenes.

Bailey Gray is a woman who's life has been planned out for her. She was expected to live a perfect life, according to his parent's rules and guidelines. She graduated with honors and dated the most popular guy in school, Eric, but that doesn't make her happy at all. Come her graduation day and just when she's about to deliver her valedictorian speech, she suddenly felt the need to make the big change. With her eyes laid on one of her childhood friends that she was forced to stay away from, and apparently her first kiss, she realized how fake her life was and how much she wanted to run away from it.

" I want to make mistakes, I want to get in trouble and feel alive. Like dancing in the rain and being eighteen." - Bailey

Enter Dylan Wade, is a popular guy in town but not like Eric. From the time he lost a very important person in his life, he displayed a quarrelsome and unruly disposition. He was tough, driven and has lived his life with no rules, no boundaries, no regrets and hesitations. Just exactly what Bailey needed at that time.

" Please let me do this right, for once in my fucking life, let me do something right." - Dylan

On that very same day, they both runaway, and their lives have never been the same again...

Both characters were created with staying power; distinct, sympathetic and very engaging; reasons that pulled me into the story until wee hours in the morning. The plot and characters did fit together - they are inextricably intertwined. If you ask me about what my favorite parts were, well I'd be honest to say that its really hard to point one specific moment because there were a lot! But I could say mostly when they tease each other and try to push their desires over the edge. Moments that made me shiver, ache, smile and swoon. 

I also enjoy the part when they had to ask 20 questions and create their bucket lists . It was so freeing. Although there were times that I just wanna bitch slap Dylan for leaving me hanging all the time, it annoys the hell out of me. Like seriously Wade? Can you just stop talking and get inside her now!!! 

"Our lips parted together and he slid one hand around my waist pressing me flush against his chest. No one had ever kissed me like that. like he wanted to devour me but he was holding back..." - Bailey

"I won't until you're ready, and you're not, yet." - Dylan

It was also so refreshing to see that finally Bailey had the chance to live her own life, made her own decisions, and learned to stand by them. Dylan made her feel alive... made her feel those bleeding colors. She made her realized that life is about committing mistakes and learning from them. He made her believe that there is hope, even though they had no clear visions of what the future holds, but that they could do and be whatever they dreamed of being. That was their deal...

This book is beyond your usual romance novel. It told a story about the struggles of life and how to deal with them. It made me think and analyze how Im living my own. Its like a reality check for me to be reminded of things that truly matter in this life. 

I could write an entire post about why reading the closing part of this book makes me want to move and take on the world. The story conveyed a very strong message and emotions, you feel everything as acutely as the characters do. It leaves a lasting imprint as this gives a realistic glimpse to life in general.

"Love with everything you have. Don't have regrets or second thoughts. Love with all your heart, every piece of it. Love anything as much as you can."

THAT WAS THE DEAL...

If you are to assess how you've lived your life so far, would you have done anything different?

What's your deal?

So will I recommend this book? DEFINITELY!

5/5 STARS FOR ME!

Suspenseful romance writer. Author of the Racing on the Edge Series. Published titles include Happy Hour, Trading Paint, Black Flag and The Champion. The Legend is scheduled to be released December 24, 2012.

When she's not writing, Shey Stahl can be found at the local dirt tracks in Washington watching her favorite sport, racing.

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