Category: Jessica Hawkins

Release Blitz: Somebody Else's Sky by Jessica Hawkins

22/5/2017

Title: Somebody Else's Sky
(#2 of Something in the Way)

Author: Jessica Hawkins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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If I closed my eyes, I could still see them—all blonde sunshine, ocean-blue eyes, and long limbs. The glint of Lake’s gold bracelet. Pink cotton candy on Tiffany’s tongue. My scenery may have changed from heaven to hell, but some things never would: my struggle to do right by both sisters. To let Lake soar. To lift Tiffany up. The sacrifices I made for them, I made willingly.

A better man would’ve walked away by now, but I never claimed to be any good. I only promised myself I’d keep enough distance. If I’d learned one thing from my past, it was that love came in different forms. You could love passionately, hurt deep, die young. Or you could provide the kind of firm, steady support someone else could lean on.

Lake was everything I wanted, and nothing I could ever have. I was nobody before I knew her and a criminal after. The way to love her was to let her shine—even if it would be for somebody else.

I've read other books by Ms Hawkins but this series right here... It's hard to put into words just what this series does to me. It grabs hold of your heart and won't let go. I have this vested interest in the characters and I want so badly for it to work out between Lake and Manning. Part of me was curled up and rocking in the corner well before I opened the story.

I was afraid of what might happen in this instalment. And now after finishing it, I'm calling it. This is perhaps the best book I'll read this year. Of course the last book in this series, Move the Stars, might knock it off its pedestal but it will definitely be in the top three.

From the start, your heart leaps into your throat and stays there for the entire time. It feels as though there is so much in the way that a relationship between Lake and Manning feels doomed. But hope lingers. So much hope! It is almost impossible to speak about the story without giving away major plot scenes.

So in the words of Lake:
I sealed my words inside along with a great love that somehow fit inside me.
Instead, I'll describe my feelings rather than details about the story. I ended up having a massive book hangover. Even though I finished the story, the plot continued in my head. I couldn't sleep. I went from extreme emotions starting with uncontrollable sadness to blinding rage. Tears, tantrums, and curse words were all involved. There was frustration at certain characters (I'm looking at you Manning). Of course, my heart did break for Manning when I wasn't thinking of shaking some sense into him. There was sheer awe (Lake, sweet girl). I couldn't believe how much Lake has grown and the strength she possesses. I'm not sure if I would have coped as well as she did. And then there was utter hatred (Tiffany... don't even think of crossing my path.) To say that she is on my sh** list is an understatement.

Jessica Hawkins has an incredible talent in writing such remarkable stories that you invest so much of yourself into the characters that when things happen to them, you feel it in your very soul. It feels like she ripped my heart out and squeezed the life right out of it. But the more accurate description would be that I gave her my heart willingly and she shattered it. Ms. Hawkins is an utter evil genius (in the best possible way). She is definitely some kind of wizard with her captivating writing and incredible story telling. I don't know what will happen next but lucky there is some time before the last instalment comes out because I need some time to recover. An unbelievable story which has ripped me open and left me raw and bleeding. But I'd gladly go back and do it all over again. October cannot get here soon enough. In the meantime, I think some eye candy is order to keep us sane until Move the Stars ;)

About the Author . . .

Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California. She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. To her, the most intriguing fiction is forbidden, and that's what you'll find in her stories. Currently, she resides wherever her head lands, which is often the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.

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Also in the series . . .

Title: Something in the Way
(#1 of Something in the Way)

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Title: Move the Stars
(#3 of Something in the Way)

Publication date: October 23rd, 2017

Pre-order: Amazon (US/UK/CA/Aus) | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

Goodreads

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Release Blitz & Review: Something in the Way by Jessica Hawkins

27/2/2017

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Title: Something in the Way

Author: Jessica Hawkins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

Amazon (US/UK/CA/Aus) | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

Goodreads

Cover Design: RBA Designs : Romantic Book Affairs
Photography: Perrywinkle Photography

It was a hot summer day when I met him on the construction site next to my parents’ house. Under the sweat and dirt, Manning Sutter was as handsome as the sun was bright. He was older, darker, experienced. I wore a smiley-face t-shirt and had never even been kissed. Yet we saw something in each other that would link us in ways that couldn’t be broken...no matter how hard we tried.

I loved Manning before I knew the meaning of the word. I was too young, he said. I would wait. Through all the carefully-chosen words hiding what we knew to be true, through his struggle to keep me innocent, and through infinitely-starry nights—I would wait. But I’d learn that life isn’t always fair. That no matter how much you achieve, none of it matters if you suffer the heartbreak that comes with falling for someone you can never have. Because even though I saw Manning first, that didn’t matter. My older sister saw him next.

I was so happy to see that Ms. Hawkins had a new release coming out. And then I found out that it was part of a three book series...

Lake is super sweet. Studious and quiet, she reminds me... well of me ;) Okay, so maybe I'm not quiet but I digress. Enter Manning. This man. Oh boy. Who doesn't love a slightly older guy who is such a sweetheart? Lake finds it hard to resist and you can't blame her.

"But you pushed through? Just to go ride a Ferris wheel?"
To spend an evening with you, I wanted to say. I didn't have the guts.

I had strong feelings for Tiffany... I just wanted to slap her... with her own book! I felt like growling every time she touched Manning or said something mean to Lake. And she was always getting in the way.

No, no. It's not her book, it's Lake and Manning's book. Lake and Manning. In some instances, I was reminded of that song from The Sound of Music. Sixteen going on Seventeen. Lake wanting someone older and wiser but Manning realising things are a bit more complicated than that. Gosh I love the scenes with just Lake and Manning. Melts the heart.

The writing is superb and of course Ms. Hawkins keeps us on the edge of our seats. She pulls us and pushes us in all sorts of directions until our hearts are squeezed so tight you fear it might shatter. Oh Lake, sweet Lake. I feel your pain as if it were my mine. Ms. Hawkins does the forbidden so well. I cannot wait to see what the next installment has for us. Oh Manning and Lake... I'll leave you with David Gandy impatiently waiting for the next book like the rest of us ;)

About the Author . . .

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Release Blitz & Review: Yours to Bare by Jessica Hawkins

8/12/2016

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Title: Yours to Bare

Author: Jessica Hawkins

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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Goodreads

Finn
No matter how cruel it’s been in the past, I’ve never been able to flip fate the bird. I’m a romantic at heart. So when fate drops a leather-bound journal at my feet, I know I should walk away.

I don't. I pick her up, bend her spine, spread her pages. From the first word, I’m a goner. The owner didn’t give me access to her most intimate desires, but I devour them anyway. Her private darkness, her candid, explicit poetry—it all goes down like warm milk. And from that point forward, I drink, eat, and sleep her.

Halston
I went to his apartment and let him take my picture. Just once, to see how it would feel. I’m not his to look at, to inspire, to touch, but when he watches me through his lens, it gives me a high I don’t want to come down from…

My journal is the one place I can be myself—as long as I can tie it up and put it away when I’m finished. But when Finn undoes the bow, he pulls strings that could unravel each of us.

While I should have been studying, I thought I could restrain myself by reading a small piece of Yours to Bare... I was wrong. I became utterly obsessed and possessed by Ms. Hawkins writing. I promised myself one page. But that quickly became two pages, then three and four. Then those pages became one chapter, then two and three. Before I realised it, I'd gone from start to finish in the blink of an eye. In that regards, I was very much like Finn. I picked up something special and pried open the pages and drowned myself in the words. Elegant, seductive, captivating words that pushed all other thoughts from my mind. I knew I shouldn't, and yet, I did. I think that's why I connected to Finn. He was the same when he found the journal. Utterly enchanted and unable to stop himself. Before I started reading, I was undecided about Finn. Having met him in Slip of the Tongue, I wasn't sure how I would feel about him. But I understood him better now. I liked him more. There was another side to him that I saw here. He was sweet and funny. He said all the things you would hope a man would say to the woman he loves. Like this for just one example:
I want her to hum into my mouth, to melt like that with my tongue between her legs. The way she writes, the way she moves - she's got to be sensuality personified in bed.

And then I met Halston. She is an incredible woman. Having suffered a tragic past, she is fragile, flawed and raw and yet powerful, feisty and determined. Her insecurity and her fears spoke to me. I understood her. I wanted to gather her in my arms and just hold her so she knew she wasn't alone. I think we have all felt what Hals feels at one point in our lives. The fear that we cannot be our true selves. That we must hide parts of ourselves because if we were to reveal those parts, we would open ourselves up to judgement, ridicule, and ultimately, rejection. Therefore we hide bits of us, our desires, our fantasies, even our hopes and dreams, for fear of what others will think of us. But not Finn. He allows Hals to feel and hope. To be herself not just in her journal but with him in reality.

However, there is conflict in how things are working in the relationship between Finn and Hals. She has had enough of people trying to control her and fears that Finn wants the same. I was worried about what would happen in the end but I shouldn't have worried. The ending was perfect. Hals realises that she needs to love herself, all of herself, before she can ask someone else to do it. So many feels in the end, so much depth. After all, should people settle for barely exisiting? Life should be filled with passion, laughter and endless possibilities. It is what we are meant to do. Live. The only things people regret in the end are the things they didn't do. That they didn't live enough. We are only here such a short time, why not take risks, love passionately and live for every day?

And the steam in this book? Ms. Hawkins has taken it to a whole other level. Hot damn! Someone hand me a fan! Showers are much more interesting ;) Finn and Hals have some intense chemistry and their love glows hot! Here is just a taste of a little flirting: "The white collar of your blouse makes you look so sweet." He says sweet with an edge that weakens my knees. "Like a good girl. It makes me want to turn you bad."

I think I should take up photography... or find a photographer ;)
There are also tender moments like one instance in bed and the two of them ran their fingers over each other's backs. It's so sweet and adorable. This book was more than I thought possible. What more can I say? That's why I'll end with this, #omg #getthisnow!

About the Author . . .

Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California. She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. Some of her favorite things include traveling, her dog Kimo, Scrabble, driving aimlessly and creating Top Five lists. She is the helpless victim of an overactive imagination that finds inspiration in music and tranquility in writing. Currently she resides wherever her head lands, which lately is the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook

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Release Blitz: The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins

4/8/2016

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Title: The First Taste
(#2 of Slip of the Tongue series)

Author: Jessica Hawkins

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Goodreads

Andrew Beckwith has already devoted his life to one girl—and as far as he’s concerned, she’s all he needs. The rough-around-the-edges bad boy left his reckless ways behind six years ago when his daughter Bell was born. To the female population’s dismay, he’s unapologetically single. When Bell’s mother walked out on them years ago, he vowed never to let another woman close enough to hurt them again.

Amelia Van Ecken isn’t just another woman. She’s an independent, smart, and savvy businesswoman who doesn’t have time for sex, much less love. In the midst of a drawn-out, bitter divorce, all she wants is to bury herself in work. But when sharp-tongued Amelia and stubborn Andrew cross paths, sparks fly—and burn. Two things are obvious in an instant: they want each other, and they’re from different worlds. It’s the perfect formula for an off-the-charts one-night stand. After all, it’s not as if opposites ever attract.

Excerpt . . .

“What’re your plans tonight?”

She scoffs. “It’s Friday night. What aren’t my plans? I have drinks with friends in an hour, then a late dinner, and who knows after that.”
“Cancel them.”
She gapes at me. “Cancel my plans? Why would I?”
“Come out with me. Sadie says there’s a place around here with great pizza.”
She laughs, tilting her head and exposing the smooth column of her throat. “First, I don’t eat carbs, so there’s no way you’re getting me to do anything with the promise of pizza. Second, I just told you—I don’t date.”
“And neither do I.”
“Then why are you asking me out?” she asks.
“Because despite what you may think, I am a gentleman, and it’s only good manners to buy you dinner first.”
“First?” she asks, wrinkling her nose. “What’s second?”
We stare at each other. I let her figure it out on her own. It’s rare to meet a woman like me, someone who truly has no interest in finding a partner. I’ve heard that claim from enough girls to know when they’re bullshitting me, and unless Amelia is a Grade-A con artist, she definitely isn’t looking to get serious.
When she understands, the wrinkles on her forehead ease, and she parts her lips. I answer with a knowing smile. Suggesting sex within half an hour of meeting someone might normally get me slapped, but I get the feeling Amelia appreciates a more direct approach.
“I don’t date,” I say, “but I’m still a man with eyes.”
She makes no secret of looking me up and down. “You’re not my type either,” she warns. “I like men who carry a briefcase and see a barber regularly.”
I run my hand through my black hair, which I know is too long. “How’s that working out for you?”
She narrows her eyes. “Fine. Perfect.”
“I have some tattoos too,” I say. “And ride a motorcycle. Since that’s normally how I get most girls, I suppose those are turn-offs for you.”
“They are,” she says immediately, straightening her shoulders. “I’ve never understood the appeal of a bad boy.”
“Then tonight, we’re a match made in heaven, aren’t we? It shouldn’t be hard for either of us to say goodbye afterward.”
She bats her eyelashes a few times, not because she’s flirting but because she’s thinking. Considering. Which means it’s basically a done deal. I’ve never gotten this far with a girl only to have her walk away. “Why even bother with dinner?” she asks.
I take a moment to study her, her shoulder-length, perfectly coifed blonde hair. Her defined red lips that look like a heart when pursed, which is often. Yeah, based on the fact that I’m noticing details—something I try not to do anymore—I know I’m feeling her tonight. Most guys would jump at the opportunity to skip the small talk, but that doesn’t really appeal to me. I like women, always have. Just because Shana fucked me in the head doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate them. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time around them—just so long’s it’s surface stuff.
I don’t want to scare her off by suggesting I might want to have a conversation with her, so I just shrug. “Because I’m starving.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Indulge me then. I need my energy.”
“For what?” she asks.
I arch an eyebrow at her. I’ll definitely need my energy for a night with her.
She reads my expression and her cheeks redden. “Oh.”

So we get a taste for Andrew in Slip of the Tongue. But now? We get to enjoy slowly savouring and devouring him at our leisure. He is most definitely a DILF ;) However, not only that, he earns brownie points for wanting to raise a smart, strong and independent young girl and at the same time, keep her his little baby. Aw. He finds it hard to say no to his little baby and feels guilty for going out. That is too adorable. Andrew is a brilliant father. Always putting his girl first but he needs to enjoy life too.

I must say, the one night stand with Andrew and Amelia... damn. Someone get a fan. We'll need it to cool down ;) And that was just round one! And can someone get me some bubble bath stat!

Granted, I didn't like Amelia to begin with but she has grown on me. While she has a hard outer shell, she is a sweet kind woman on the inside who has been hurt too many times. That's why she guards herself so closely. And who could blame her. She most certainly works her way into my heart.

Reggie... I don't like that one. He rubs me the wrong way and it's obvious why. He is a controlling, manipulating snake. And then there is Shana. Both individuals which are on my sh** list ;) lol.

Both create drama and havoc for Amelia and Andrew. I just wanted to slap both Reggie and Shana and say, leave them alone! But Reggie... ooo that man is a complete douchecanoe -_-

There are some incredible moments, steamy ones ;) adorably cute ones and some very amusing banter. I love this line:
"I'm spent Amelia. Let me sleep," he says. "I'll spoon you like you're my favourite ice cream. Promise."

Aww that's so funny and sweet!

I have to say that this book is definitely in my top ten favourite new releases for 2016. I love Ms. Hawkins writing but I think First Taste has now edged its way to the top.

I absolutely love Andrew! He is my new BBF. Fiercely protective, honourable and passionate. And it was great seeing another side of his sister Sadie and his brother in law Nathan. Brilliant characters. Great story. Can't wait for another re-read.
If you haven't read Ms. Hawkins work yet, go. Go now! Trust me, you'll love it!

Giveaway . . .

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About the Author . . .

Jessica Hawkins grew up between the purple mountains and under the endless sun of Palm Springs, California. She studied international business at Arizona State University and has also lived in Costa Rica and New York City. Some of her favorite things include traveling, her dog Kimo, Scrabble, driving aimlessly and creating Top Five lists. She is the helpless victim of an overactive imagination that finds inspiration in music and tranquility in writing. Currently she resides wherever her head lands, which lately is the unexpected (but warm) keyboard of her trusty MacBook.

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