Authors, Reviews, and Commenting

First off, thanks to Nat at Reading Romances for hosting this multi-blog discussion on what is a very hot topic these days in the online book world. At the bottom of the post, you will find a list with links for all of the participating blogs.

When I first started reviewing and blogging, I would get so very, very excited when an author commented. I haven't actually had a lot of authors comment on my reviews, whether here, on goodreads or Amazon (though admittedly, I rarely look at my Amazon reviews so maybe someone has). Most have been a simple thank you, a few times the author offered clarification on something I questioned in the review (which, by the way, I appreciate and don't mind, though an email might be the best way to do that). The times that happened, the authors were polite and cordial. I've had some authors who didn't reply on the review itself but said "thank you" or "nice review" on twitter. One or two have emailed me thank yous, which was nice.

These days, I'm less green and also, the blogging atmosphere seems a bit sticky and at times it feels like a group of young toddlers screaming and tantruming cuz another child took their toy away. Unfortunately, we can't put authors or bloggers in a time out. It feels as if every week, or even every day, there's another kerfuffle concerning a review that an author made an inappropriate comment on. I still get excited when an author comments but I'm also more aware of the potential for disaster. So, do I want an author to comment? Is it appropriate?

I don't think we'll get agreement on the appropriateness of it, but maybe we can agree on how an author comments, if they choose to do so. I know many authors who choose not to, for one reason or another. Honestly, for the author's sake, I think that's the safest course. Now matter how carefully the reply is worded, someone, somewhere, will find a way to take offense. And if the author makes any kind of criticism, however mild, someone, somewhere, even if it's not the person who wrote the review, will take offense. Then you have the authors, I'm sure you can think of some, who go ballistic and get insulting, even send emails deriding or harassing the reviewer. In those instances, that author should erase the comment or email as soon as they hit publish, or better yet, don't say anything at all, and go find a trusted peer or friend upon whom they can rant and rave at, IN PRIVATE.Taking their displeasure public rarely works out well.

If an author chooses to comment, then I think a simple "thank you" is good. Some say "Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book." I think that's fine too. They are acknowledging the time and effort that the reviewer has put into the review, regardless of their personal opinion on the review. They may be crushed or furious but ideally, they will rein in those feelings, decline to comment, or maybe leave a polite thank you, and then go off to deal, appropriately, with their feelings, in private. Authors work hard on their writing, some feel as if the books are their babies; it's normal and understandable that they would be hurt by a less than glowing review. The trick is in how they handle it.

Some writers don't read their reviews at all, some read them and think seriously about what the reviewer said and even use that information when writing their next book or story. Authors, if you choose to read your reviews, and you choose to comment, please tread carefully when commenting. Many potential and existing readers have been lost by an author's inappropriate comment on a review.

So, do I want authors to comment on my reviews? Yes, please. I enjoy it and sometimes we have good discussions or even just banter. Even if it's a simple thank you, I'm happy. Did I get a fact (fact! not opinion or perception) wrong in my review? Email me and I'll fix it. Hate my review? (You can disagree with my review, that can be interesting, and as long as you 're polite, it's all good.) Think I'm the worst reviewer EVER? Want to tell the world what a bitch I am? Sorry, those comments and emails will be deleted.

In addition to visiting the other blogs in this hop, take a few minutes to check out some other good posts: Author Linda Poitevin has a writer's guide to book blogger etiquette and blogger Natasha at Wicked Little Pixie tackles the topic of proper book blogger etiquette.

Thanks for stopping by. Please take a minute and share your thoughts and feelings in the comment section. Politely, of course. :)

OK, when I preview the post, I don't see the linky list so here's a link to Reading Romance's page with the linky list. Sorry for the inconvenience.

ETA: I finally got the linky to work! *happy dance*

Excerpt from Because of You by Jessica Scott

"Because of You" is the first book in Jessica Scott's "Coming Home" series, about soldiers coming home from war, their adjustments, and their romances. Scott is a soldier herself, which gives the books an authenticity that many books with military characters lack. 

Oh, and can I add, the tattooing on the cover model is very cool and eye catching. I don't know what it means, if anything. I guess I'll have to read the book to find out. :D

Book Blurb:

Contemporary Military Romance
From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

BECAUSE OF YOU by Jessica Scott, A Loveswept eOriginal Excerpt

Review of Too Wicked To Wed by Cara Elliott

Publisher: Forever
Release Date: November 1st, 2011
Series: Lords of Midnight
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository
Teaser: All the more reason to gamble at cards:
Her cousin's face took on a greenish cast.  "Be reasonable, Alexa!"

"Why should I?" she shot back.

"B-because it's..." Taken about by the unexpected resistance, Henry was reduced to an incoherent sputtering.  Raking a hand through his hair, he finally gathered enough courage to blurt out the truth. "Bloody hell, Alexa.  The pledge happens to be half-ownership in a gaming hell and brothel!"

Reviewed By: Liz

Book Blurb (from Goodreads):

Outspoken and independent, Lady Alexa Bingham enjoys the heady freedom of making all her own decisions, even though the challenges of overseeing her family's country estate are daunting. But when a chance encounter with London's most notorious rake awakens a secret longing for adventure, she accepts her aunt's invitation for a Season in Town . . . only to find that breaking the rules of the ton has serious consequences.

The Earl of Killingworth uses his rakehell reputation to hide the fact that poverty has forced him to work for a living. As the owner of a gambling den and brothel, Connor has no time for glittering ballrooms or innocent young ladies. But after a reckless wager leaves him with a new business partner, he is forced to take a risky gamble . . . Will the cards fall in their favor?Alexa and Connor begin to play a dangerous game of intrigue and deception as they seek to outwit a cunning adversary who wants to put them permanently out of business. But if they are not careful, it is the flames of their own fiery attraction that may destroy them. 

My Thoughts:


Okay ladies, lets be honest: we're not looking for groundbreaking in this genre.  We're looking for feel good with some smexy and, if we're lucky, witty banter.  Cara Elliott delivers in this book.

There's card playing, cross dressing, naughty etchings, and steamy kisses.  That's just Lady Alexa Hendrie in the first few chapters, it stays good the whole book.  The heroine doesn't take any MENSA prizes, but it's a period novel, she's risque enough for the time period by making decisions beyond what she's having for breakfast.  She's not a simpering moron and you feel that from the start.  She does have a few scenes where I wanted to smack some sense into her, but I've been watching Holmes with my mom since before I understood what they were talking about.  Lady Alexa is a fun character.

Lord Killingworth (really?), Connor Linsley, is a bit formulaic, but it's the beginning of the series, so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.  He's a veteran of the Peninsular wars with a nickname.  A bad one that the author tries to work in sporadically in a manner that feels a bit forced, along with his reputation.  I think she could have left out all of that "Wolfhound" nonsense and still had a perfectly good book.  He's an interesting character, and some thought was obviously put into him and his background.  His proposal made me want to smack him upside the back of his head.  Repeatedly.  So he was pretty true to the time period in that regard.

This fun little read was a 'who-dun-it', so I got to mentally (mostly) yell at the characters 3/4 of the way through.  So I enjoyed it. ;)  The book makes it obvious to the reader who the culprit is without making the final reveal tedious, which I appreciate since I'm the type that likes to read the last chapter if I don't get the answer half way through the mystery.  The couple gets help from the two other rakes (also given nicknames from dog breeds) from Earl Killingworth's regiment through out the novel, sometimes to the Earls detriment.

The smexy time scene was kinda steamy, and at no point did I stop and say "he did what?  But he just had his hands... wait, maybe I misread something?" like I do with a lot of romance novels.   I like my action (smexy and fighting) to make sense when I'm in the grip of the scene, and this one does.  The teasers leading up to it were fun, too.  

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series, and seeing what she does with the other 'hounds' from this novel.  The "Lords of Midnight" series title leads me to expect great things from the other hounds and their mates.  I hope that you all enjoy this book as much as I did.


The reviewer received this book from the publisher.

In My Mailbox #26

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.

My TBR shelf on goodreads currently stands at 482; I started the week at 476, am reading 3, and added 6.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Kindle Freebies 

Review

Won

I won this on BookTrib recently. I have the first book on my kindle, this is the third book. If I like the first book, I'll have to buy the second one. I have heard so many good things about this series, I couldn't pass up the chance to enter and win this book.

How was your week, what did you get? Leave me a link to your IMM in your comment so I can come visit.

We're Lexicomanes, Are You?

Lexicomane: Noun, dictionary lover. lexico-, lexi-, lex-, -lexia, -lexias, -lexic, -lectic, -lexis + (Greek: a word; a saying, a phrase; speaking, speech) Closely related to legi-, ligi-, lig-, lect-, -lectic (Latin: read, readable [to choose words; to gather, to collect; to pick out, to choose; to read, to recite]).  ~ From English-Word Information Word Info about English Vocabulary

Yep, dictionary lovers. That's us. Well, Jax and Bea anyway; Liz likes them but doesn't love them. So, what's the big deal about dictionaries? They don't tell a story, they are huge, heavy and have a hard time keeping up with a constantly changing language.

Bea: Dictionaries, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. They contains words, lots and lots of lovely words. And not so lovely words. You can look up anything and find it. One advantage of online dictionaries is their ability to update quickly and add new words and terminology. Most online dictionaries though don't give you the etymology, which leads me to my next point.
2. I love etymology, the meaning and history of a word and other words that it's related to. Print dictionaries will give you that, online dictionaries are less likely. Urban Dictionary doesn't but Webster's Dictionary does. I don't how many times I've looked up a word and gotten distracted by its etymology and looked up related words; I've probably lost hundreds of hours that way. 
3. I can get lost for hours in a dictionary. Not only do I get lost in etymology, but my eye spots an unfamiliar word on the page and I just have to read it, and then I get lost in the meaning or usage or etymology.

Those are the main reasons I love dictionaries. I learn so much, and it's at my leisure. I can quickly (well, I can try to be quick :P) look up something that I need to know or I can get lost in an orgy of words and meanings and history. Without words, language is non-existent. I'm not talking about written language, but language in general. Words, whether vocal, printed or signed, have meaning; if the recipient of the words doesn't know or understand the meaning, communication breaks down. So, we have dictionaries, one of the best inventions ever in my very biased opinion.

Of course, there are many kinds of dictionaries. There's the basic dictionary that defines all of the words in a language, there are translation dictionaries where you can look up a word or phrase in one language to see what it is in another language, topic or field specific dictionaries ie a medical terms, sports terms, etc., even a reverse dictionary, where you know the meaning but can't recall the word. With that one, when you find the meaning, it will give a slew of related words and you decide which one that you intended. 

On the internet, you often will have someone pose the question, "If you could take any five books with you while stranded on a desert island, what would they be?" I always include a dictionary; my other choices may vary but I always pick a dictionary. Every story you could want, exists in the dictionary.

One of the best features of my Kindle is that it comes with dictionaries, yes, plural. It came pre-loaded with two dictionaries so when I'm reading and encounter a word whose meaning I'm unsure of, I can easily look it up. This is an excellent feature and one that the Nook has also. I don't know if the Kobo or Sony readers do but I assume so. It only makes sense. It's a definite advantage over print where you have to stop, get your dictionary (if you even have one) and page through until you find the word. So much easier to highlight the word and look it up!

I've had the same print dictionary for 20+ years, I think it's time to upgrade. I shudder to think how out of date it is. Though, I often use a web dictionary these days to look up definitions.

Jax: Ah dictionaries...outside of the usual Little Golden books, the two earliest memories I have of books are the giant Bible with the family tree in it....and the battered dictionary that was just as large. I don't remember who taught me to how to use it, I just remember being told to look things up in it. It was the start of my life long love affair with words. 

In the house, right now, I have my Webster's college dictionary, a Spanish-English dictionary, TWO American Sign language dictionaries, a crossword dictionary, a dictionary of superstitions, and a couple of desk sized dictionaries that the kids could use for school. And that's just the ones I can see from here. We're in the midst of packing. I know there's a few more of these things around somewhere in a box. Like a dictionary of the meaning of flowers. (Did you know people used to send messages using flowers? How freaking cool is that. It explains why some painting of bouquets are so damn garish. If I actually could identify flowers, I'd love to see what the painter was trying to tell us. And some people think still-lives are dull. Betcha' some of those are downright vulgar.) 

Anyway...back on topic. Dictionaries, and by extension thesauri (yes, that's the right word. It's even on the sign at the bookstore, I swear.) give me the ability to play with language in the most amazing ways. Writing, teaching, reading... Dictionaries record the nuances between the synonyms. A thesaurus will tell you how words are similar....dictionaries tell us why they are unique. And they contain SO much information. Not just the meanings of words...but their past. Their pronunciation. (That funny spelling in parenthesis...that's the word written in the International Phonetic Alphabet. Another interest of mine.)

Words are the basis for language. Language allows for stories. Flash fiction, fan fiction, short stories, novellas, novels, series....and the dictionaries are the keepers of the keys, in  a manner of speaking. What is contained within those covers let us paint vivid images, even though I mangle stick figures. Is it really that hard to understand why I think they are so marvelous? 

We're Lexicomanes, Are You?

Lexicomane: Noun, dictionary lover. lexico-, lexi-, lex-, -lexia, -lexias, -lexic, -lectic, -lexis + (Greek: a word; a saying, a phrase; speaking, speech) Closely related to legi-, ligi-, lig-, lect-, -lectic (Latin: read, readable [to choose words; to gather, to collect; to pick out, to choose; to read, to recite]).  ~ From English-Word Information Word Info about English Vocabulary

Yep, dictionary lovers. That's us. Well, Jax and Bea anyway; Liz likes them but doesn't love them. So, what's the big deal about dictionaries? They don't tell a story, they are huge, heavy and have a hard time keeping up with a constantly changing language.

Bea: Dictionaries, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. They contains words, lots and lots of lovely words. And not so lovely words. You can look up anything and find it. One advantage of online dictionaries is their ability to update quickly and add new words and terminology. Most online dictionaries though don't give you the etymology, which leads me to my next point.
2. I love etymology, the meaning and history of a word and other words that it's related to. Print dictionaries will give you that, online dictionaries are less likely. Urban Dictionary doesn't but Webster's Dictionary does. I don't how many times I've looked up a word and gotten distracted by its etymology and looked up related words; I've probably lost hundreds of hours that way. 
3. I can get lost for hours in a dictionary. Not only do I get lost in etymology, but my eye spots an unfamiliar word on the page and I just have to read it, and then I get lost in the meaning or usage or etymology.

Those are the main reasons I love dictionaries. I learn so much, and it's at my leisure. I can quickly (well, I can try to be quick :P) look up something that I need to know or I can get lost in an orgy of words and meanings and history. Without words, language is non-existent. I'm not talking about written language, but language in general. Words, whether vocal, printed or signed, have meaning; if the recipient of the words doesn't know or understand the meaning, communication breaks down. So, we have dictionaries, one of the best inventions ever in my very biased opinion.


Of course, there are many kinds of dictionaries. There's the basic dictionary that defines all of the words in a language, there are translation dictionaries where you can look up a word or phrase in one language to see what it is in another language, topic or field specific dictionaries ie a medical terms, sports terms, etc., even a reverse dictionary, where you know the meaning but can't recall the word. With that one, when you find the meaning, it will give a slew of related words and you decide which one that you intended. 


On the internet, you often will have someone pose the question, "If you could take any five books with you while stranded on a desert island, what would they be?" I always include a dictionary; my other choices may vary but I always pick a dictionary. Every story you could want, exists in the dictionary.

One of the best features of my Kindle is that it comes with dictionaries, yes, plural. It came pre-loaded with two dictionaries so when I'm reading and encounter a word whose meaning I'm unsure of, I can easily look it up. This is an excellent feature and one that the Nook has also. I don't know if the Kobo or Sony readers do but I assume so. It only makes sense. It's a definite advantage over print where you have to stop, get your dictionary (if you even have one) and page through until you find the word. So much easier to highlight the word and look it up!

I've had the same print dictionary for 20+ years, I think it's time to upgrade. I shudder to think how out of date it is. Though, I often use a web dictionary these days to look up definitions.

Jax: Ah dictionaries...outside of the usual Little Golden books, the two earliest memories I have of books are the giant Bible with the family tree in it....and the battered dictionary that was just as large. I don't remember who taught me to how to use it, I just remember being told to look things up in it. It was the start of my life long love affair with words. 


In the house, right now, I have my Webster's college dictionary, a Spanish-English dictionary, TWO American Sign language dictionaries, a crossword dictionary, a dictionary of superstitions, and a couple of desk sized dictionaries that the kids could use for school. And that's just the ones I can see from here. We're in the midst of packing. I know there's a few more of these things around somewhere in a box. Like a dictionary of them meaning of flowers. (Did you know people used to send messages using flowers? How freaking cool is that. It explains why some painting of bouquets are so damn garish. If I actually could identify flowers, I'd love to see what the painter was trying to tell us. And some people think still-lives are dull. Betcha' some of those are downright vulgar.) 


Anyway...back on topic. Dictionaries, and by extension thesauri (yes, that's the right word. It's even on the sign at the bookstore, I swear.) give me the ability to play with language in the most amazing ways. Writing, teaching, reading... Dictionaries record the nuances between the synonyms. A thesaurus will tell you how words are similar....dictionaries tell us why they are unique. And they contain SO much information. Not just the meanings of words...but their past. Their pronunciation. (That funny spelling in parenthesis...that's the word written in the International Phonetic Alphabet. Another interest of mine.)


Words are the basis for language. Language allows for stories. Flash fiction, fan fiction, short stories, novellas, novels, series....and the dictionaries are the keepers of the keys, in  a manner of speaking. What is contained within those covers let us paint vivid images, even though I mangle stick figures. Is it really that hard to understand why I think they are so marvelous? 

Spotlight On: Thoughtless by Jacqueline Gardner

Please welcome YA author Jacqueline Gardner to the Nook today. She has two books out already and a third one releasing this month. Jacqueline works as a Story Editor for the production company, Labragirl Pictures. Her love of storytelling began at an early age when she would make up stories with her grandmother before bedtime. In early 2010, she completed her first novel and has been stuck on writing ever since. She resides in Colorado and loves hiking, writing, fantasy fiction, and all things cupcake.

Today, we're looking at her most recent release, "Thoughtless," a young adult supernatural thriller. The next book in this series will be out this summer.

Book Blurb (from author's website):

When Bridget finds a dead cheerleader in the janitor’s closet, she becomes the killer’s next target.  High school just got worse.  It’s bad enough that she can hear the shocking truths that pass through her classmate’s heads.  Now she has to worry about staying alive, and all clues point to the one person whose thoughts she can’t read - her boyfriend Terrence.  Someone is taunting her, threatening to expose her secret.   And when Bridget tries to single out her blackmailer, she’s nearly beaten to death by a mind controlled minion with fiery eyes. 

But when Bridget finally comes face-to-face with the killer, suddenly a horde of brainwashed students programmed to destroy her life doesn’t seem so bad.

 

Now, the girl on the cover reminds me a bit of Storm from the X-Men, whom I like, and I'm partial to the name Bridget, as it's my given name. Add in the blend of supernatural and thriller, and it's low price of 99 cents US, and the book is practically irresistible. Give it a try, and see what you think. 

 

 THOUGHTLESS
By: Jacqueline Gardner
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B007F5LW96
Genre: FICTION, YA, THRILLER,SUPERNATURAL

Format:  EBOOK

Length: 392 KB
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon     Smashwords

Website

Facebook

Twitter   

Give Away & Spotlight On: "Finding My Faith" by Carly Fall

Today we welcome Carly Fall; she's doing a major promo of the newest book in her series, "The Six Saviors" a blend of action adventure, romance, sci fi, and fantasy. Today, I have an excerpt and she is giving away one digital copy; the give away is open internationally.

Carly lives in Arizona with her incredibly supportive husband, their son and their dog. She loves her family, hiking, writing, her pool, and wine, and depending on the day, not necessarily in that order. 

To receive her monthly newsletter, please go to CarlyFall.com and sign up at the big box on the right. She promises not to spam you or sell your information (even if someone tries to bribe her with chocolate chip cookies), but she wants her newsletter to inspire you, make you laugh, and to let you know of super fun promotional activities she's involved in that usually mean free stuff for you.

 Book Blurb:

Growing up in a small Northern Arizona town, Faith Cloudfoot’s life was spent playing in the forests surrounding her house under the protective eyes of her father, and learning about the legends of her Native American heritage. Yearning for more out of her life, she moves to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of twenty-three where she is kidnapped and almost killed.

Rayner has a special ability, one that weighs on him like a curse. He can see spirits trapped in between life and their final resting place. Because he can’t do much to help them, he studiously ignores them. He concentrates, instead, on working with his fellow warriors to right the wrongs caused by the evil criminals from his home planet.

When Rayner sees Faith in her spirit form while investigating a lead in Phoenix, his attraction to her is immediate, yet he follows his own personal code and ignores her cry for attention. When he realizes that she may be a stepping stone to getting him home to his own universe, he engages Faith and begins to use her as a means to an end: going home.

As the attraction grows stronger, Rayner finds himself breaking all sorts of self-set rules, as well as the code of ethics set by him and his fellow warriors. When Faith nears death, Rayner realizes that he must do everything in his power to save her, because if he doesn’t, he may just lose himself.

FINDING MY FAITH
By: Carly Falls
Publisher: Westward Publishing
ISBN: 9781470115647
Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, ADVENTURE, FANTASY

Format: PAPERBACK, EBOOK

Length: 388 pages
Release Date: March 1, 2012

Website

Facebook

Twitter          

Goodreads

Buying Links:

Amazon  

Barnes & Noble

All Romance eBooks (ARe)

Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

************************************************************************************

EXCERPT 

Rayner knew what he was doing was wrong, but he simply couldn't help himself. He should have left the room a while back, but seeing Faith standing in the middle of the room in that little blue nightshirt and watching her get angry at him had jacked him up to levels he had never known before. Holy Christ, he wanted her even more when she yelled at him, and when she had come at him with that little fist, oblivious to their size difference…it had sent him right to the edge. He would have to explore the psychiatry of that later. Right now, he was busy teetering on a very dangerous slope. He just wanted Faith. He didn't care about consequences, what would happen later, or what would happen in three minutes. He was only in the moment, and the moment consisted of Faith's hand on his raging erection.

He wanted those lips, but he knew if he kissed her, he would be a goner. A total goner. Game over, hit the lights because his party would be over. So he kissed her cheek, which was soft and warm and just a little damp from all those tears that had ripped at his heart. He hadn't meant to actually nip at her earlobe.

He needed to disengage and get away from her.

Instead he placed his hand at the nape of her neck and pulled her forward—the only thing separating them was their hands, her little fist wrapped in his big paw.

"Rayner—"

"Don't say another word, Faith," he whispered. "Just don't."

He closed his eyes and brought a lock of her hair up to his nose, smelling the fresh mountain breeze scent he had come to associate with Faith. His chest grew tight, his breathing became more labored as the silky strands whispered across his skin. He wanted her with a ferocity that bordered on insanity. What beat within him now was nothing but raw male need, all pretenses of manners and gentlemanly etiquette long gone.

When he felt her hand lay flat on his chest, and she turned her head and rested her cheek on his chest, he thought back to his dream and how good it felt to have Faith touch him, to be near her. To have it happen in real life was a zillion and one times better than the dream.

"I think I'm in love with you, Rayner," she whispered.

He knew that from the ceremony to get her spirit back in her body. It still shook him to his core to hear her say it. His skin developed goose bumps; his knees went weak at her words.

“You can't love me, Faith,” he said into her hair.

“It's too late,” she breathed into his chest. “Too late.”

He knew what he had to do. He needed this to end, to come to a halt, a full stop with brakes screeching. He thought his heart might break, crack, or just fucking stop with his next words. “But it's not too late to let me go,” he whispered. He let go of her neck and hand and stepped away. He didn't meet her eyes as he opened the door and stepped out.

************************************************************************************

Thanks to Carly and CBLS Promotions, I have one ebook copy of this book to give away. 

The give away is open INTERNATIONALLY. 
One ebook, one winner.
Read my Giveaway Policy. 

Blog Tour Schedule