One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid Blog Tour & Giveaway!!

Publication: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Washington Square Press/Atria

Source: Publisher

From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick and a "Best Book of the Summer" by Glamour and USA Today—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life. In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure. On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever. Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness. That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves. Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly? Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

Emma Blair is in the beginning stages of her thirties, having dinner with her family and fiancé when she receives a call from her husband that she thought has been dead for a little over three years is in fact alive and coming home. Talk about the shock of a lifetime! How is someone supposed to deal with a bomb like that? Well Emma is confused naturally and she's unsure of how she really feels and what she wants. But she does know that she doesn't want to hurt Sam (her fiancé), but she still loves Jesse (her husband).

The story has some flashbacks that show us Emma's life when she was in high school and she dreamed of traveling the world. It’s in high school where she first spots Jesse at a swim meet. It was love at first sight for her. And we also get to see her life after Jesse’s “death” when she starts seeing Sam.

These two guys are complete opposites. Jessie is an excellent swimmer with a ton of talent. There are even whispers around town that he could make it all the way to the Olympics. That's what his parents want and expect from him, but it’s not necessarily what Jesse wants for himself.

And then there's Sam…who Emma also meets in high school when he gets a job working at her parents bookstore. Samson musician he's very gifted at learning how to playing musical instruments and he already knows how to play six or seven of them. After hanging out with her at the bookstore he seems to really like her and he asked her out but because she only has eyes for Jessie she turned him down.

Maybe In Another Life is a sweet contemporary read that just might have you believing there's such a thing as true love and possibly even more than one true love. I just wish that the author would’ve delved more deeply into the characters of Sam and Jess. I would have loved the opportunity to have known them a little better. The story was very easy to get into and I kept turning the pages hoping that Emma would pick the guy I had in mind. Taylor Jenkins Reid does a really good job of creating realistic stories and characters and putting them in situations with added drama and emotion. I have no doubt I will read more of her books in the future.

RATING: 3  out of 5

BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound  

Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author and essayist from Acton, Massachusetts. She is the author of Forever, Interrupted, After I Do andMaybe In Another Life. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and her dog, Rabbit. You can follow her on Twitter @TJenkinsReid.

ONE TRUE LOVES by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Atria/Washington Square Press Paperback | ISBN: 9781476776903 | On sale: June 7, 2016 | 352 pages | $16.00

eBook: Atria/Washington Square Press | ISBN: 9781476776910 | On sale: June 7, 2016 | 352 pages | $11.99

FIND TAYLOR ONLINE:

Website: www.taylorjenkinsreid.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taylorjenkinsreidbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tjenkinsreid

Instagram: @tjenkinsreid

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY:

2 COMPLETE SETS OF SIGNED TJR BOOKS

5 SIGNED COPIES OF ONE TRUE LOVES

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the Addiction:

My Blog: | Twitter | BlogLovin’ | Facebook

Covet by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Publication: September 17, 2013

Publisher: Dutton Adult

 

From the author of the New York Times bestseller On the Island. What if the life you wanted, and the woman you fell in love with, belonged to someone else? Chris and Claire Canton’s marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession and out of work for a year, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. When he’s offered a position that will keep him away from home four nights a week, he dismisses Claire’s concern that time apart could be the one thing their fragile union can’t weather. Their suburban life may look idyllic on the outside, but Claire has never felt so disconnected from Chris, or so lonely. Local police officer Daniel Rush used to have it all, but now he goes home to an empty house every night. He pulls Claire over during a routine traffic stop, and they run into each other again at the 4th of July parade. When Claire is hired to do some graphic design work for the police department, her friendship with Daniel grows, and soon they’re spending hours together. Claire loves the way Daniel makes her feel, and the way his face lights up when she walks into the room. Daniel knows that Claire’s marital status means their relationship will never be anything other than platonic. But it doesn’t take long before Claire and Daniel are in way over their heads, and skating close to the line that Claire has sworn she’ll never cross.

 

Though I had heard a lot of good things about Tracey Garvis-Graves, this was the first book by her that I had read.

I’m glad that I decided to give this book a go, because I ended up liking it.

This is one of those books that, even though you may know where things are headed, it still feels very much real; all of the characters and their situations.  And I couldn’t help but keep turning pages to find out what would happen next.

The book is told from three POV’s; Claire, Chris, and Daniel, though there is more from Claire’s side than the others.

From the outside it first appeared to Chris and Claire’s friends that they had the perfect marriage, but inside things are not that great.

 After losing his job, home life becomes strained for Chris and Claire. And when he has no luck finding another job quickly, he becomes withdrawn from her and the family. Claire hopes that when he finds another job, things will improve, but they don’t. Chris’s new job requires him to travel often, which makes Claire feel even more alone than she previously was.

Enter Daniel, who is a police officer that pulls Claire over one day, and after that moment, they keep running into each other at different places. A new friendship between these two begins to form. Their attraction towards each other slowly builds the more time they spend together.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. I know I have already said it once, but I will say it again…This story felt like a real and relatable story. It’s something that I believe can happen to anyone.  It had me wondering…how wise is it to befriend someone you’re attracted to and how much time is too much time together.  This book is filled with lots of drama and emotion, but nothing over the top. I really liked it.

If you are a fan of Tracey Gravis-Graves or just looking for a good contemporary adult read, I recommend giving this book a try.

 

 

RATING: 4 OUT OF 5.

 

** I received this book of behalf of the publisher, in exchange for nothing except my honest opinion. Thank you. **

 

BUY:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Sony | Book Depository | Google

 

 

 

 

Join the Addiction:

My Blog: | Twitter | BlogLovin’ | Facebook

From Ashes by Molly McAdams

Synopsis:

When Cassidy Jameson's best friend Tyler took her to Texas with him when he left for college, she was expecting his cousin, their new roommate, to be a Stetson-wearing cowboy since his family owned a ranch; not this incredibly gorgeous guy with a husky Southern drawl that seemed to make the world stop whenever she looked at him. Because of her past, she's only ever trusted two men in her life, Tyler and her dad whom passed away when she was six. But there's something about Gage that draws her to him in a way she can't explain, only problem? He's always telling Tyler that he doesn't want Cassidy living there and sees her as nothing more than his little sister.

Gage Carson was excited his cousin Tyler was coming to live with, and go to college with him. When he'd called to ask if he could bring his friend Cassi with him, Gage didn't care. Gage had heard about this mysterious friend since they were kids and felt like he already knew her. Nothing would prepare him for watching her jump out of Ty's Jeep though. Not only was Cassi the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but there was something about her that within seconds of meeting her, made Gage want to protect her, and make her his. Too bad Tyler made it a point to remind Gage on a daily basis that he was dating her and she was completely off limits.

For a year and a half, Gage and Cassidy dance around their feelings for each other as Tyler continues to keep them apart; until one day Tyler unknowingly pushes her right into Gage's arms. With Tyler unable to keep lying to them, they finally start a relationship both have been craving since their first meeting. But when an accident and disaster sends her back to Tyler and California, will Cassidy be able to come face to face with the demons from her past to live a life she and Gage deserve; or will the fact that she once again ran to Tyler be the final push that ends Cassidy and Gage for good?

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

From the very first moment that they saw each other, Cassidy and Gage knew there was just something worth exploring between them. Without even knowing or comprehending why, they could feel a connection. Gage feels very protective of her and he is compelled to do anything and everything in his power to make sure she is happy and okay. Cassidy sees a gorgeous guy possibly worth getting to know.

Tyler has other plans in mind though. As Cassidy’s best friend, his feelings for her begin to run deeper than mere friendship. He is in love with Cassidy and not only enjoys being the number one guy in her life, but wants it stay that way.

Cassidy’s life was good up until her father passed away when she was six. Life started to change and her mom eventually remarried. Then her mom and step-dad began to physical abuse Cassidy. Even though she is free of that abusive family now, she still suffers some physical and emotional scars.

What I liked:

Despite this being a love at sight thing between Cassidy and Gage, I liked it. Normally I am not a huge fan of that, but with this story it worked well for me.

What I did not like:

I liked Tyler at first, but as the story progressed, I found my good opinions of him deteriorating. Total manipulator!

  

Final thoughts:

From Ashes, is a great contemporary story that is filled with drama, love, friendship, and loads of angst/emotion. I tried this book because of the synopsis and I heard good things about her previous book. It was a much more enjoyable read than I was expecting. I felt like I was on a little bit of a roller coaster ride with everything that was going on, but it was one I did not want to end. If you are a reader who enjoys the awesome feel of a physical book in your hand, you are in luck! Paperback copies of From Ashes hit the shelves on Tuesday, April 16^th.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

**I received this book courtesy of William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishing/ in exchange for nothing, but my honest opinion. Thank you.**

BUY:

Amazon | B & N | Book Depository  

IndieBound | Powells | Sony | Kobo

My Blog: http://lifeasabookaddict.blogspot.com/

Facebook Me: http://www.facebook.com/TheLifeTimesOfABookAddict

Follow Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookAddict4Life

That Time I Joined The Circus by J.J. Howard

Synopsis:
Lexi Ryan just ran away to join the circus, but not on purpose.
A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake--and facing a terrible tragedy--Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi's mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.
When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn't there . . . but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus's fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.
But then Lexi's ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it's Lexi's own future that's thrown into question.
With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, and the importance of an excellent playlist

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

“And if you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born. Then it’s time to go” 
–Death Cab for Cutie, “You Are A Tourist”

Lexi is a music loving seventeen year old living in New York with her dad. But her life gets turned upside down in such a short time span. One minute she was enjoying her life with her dad and best friends Eli and Bailey. Then the next minute her dad is dead, she has a few days to leave her apartment, her friendship with her two friends is ruined, and to top things off, her dad’s will gave what little money he did have left to his ex-wife, Lexi’s mom. Essentially leaving Lexi with nothing. Not having many options, she begins her search for her mom by boarding a bus to Florida in hopes of finding her performing at a circus. Instead what she does end up finding is something better….

I liked that the beginning of each chapter has a quote of a song, like the one at the top of this review. Some of the songs I had heard before, others I had not. After reading this I did want find the ones I hadn't and listen to them. Her dad may not have been very responsible at times and he had a tendency to forget some important things, but I loved Lexi’s relationship with him. It was because of him, that she developed such a deep appreciation and love for good music.

Reading this book made me think of  my own experiences at the circus.I can’t say I've always wanted to run off and join the circus, but I always liked the idea of the circus. I went for the first time when I was a little kid, but I don’t really remember it. When I got older though I had the opportunity to go again and I remember this feeling of amazement and wonder. There was so much to see and the performers are so talented. I loved every minute of it. I think everyone should go at least once.

Lexi’s voice felt real and unique. As the story progressed, it was easy for me to want to get to know more about her. The story kept a nice flow and I was sad to see it end.

Rating: 4½ out of 5.


** I received this book from Scholastic Inc. in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you.**

Buy:

Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound | Powells | Sony

My Blog: http://lifeasabookaddict.blogspot.com/   Facebook Me: 
Facebook Me: http://www.facebook.com/TheLifeTimesOfABookAddict 
Follow Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookAddict4Life

Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars, #1) by Sara Shepard

From Goodreads:

Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by someone in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.

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

Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer are not your average teenager girls. Drugs, alcohol, cheating, and secret student-teacher interactions are just some of the things that these girls are involved with. They all became connected through their best friend, Allison. Alison went missing one night after a slumber party and hasn’t been seen since.

Several years later, the girls are each living separate lives and are no longer close like they once were. But one by one they start receiving anonymous texts from someone called “A”. Some texts state things no one else, but Alison would know. Which begs the question is Alison still out there alive and watching them? Or is someone else with a twisted sense humor taunting them? 

What I liked:

 Each chapter is dedicated to a different girl, which helped to keep track of everyone. It took a bit to get used to that, but once I did, I liked it. Aria and Spencer are my favorite characters so far.  Spencer is a bit of an over-achiever, and just happens to want something she should not have…her sister’s boyfriend.

After going to a bar one day Aria meets Ezra, a cute guy who shares some of the same interests as she does. After they part ways, the last place she thinks she will see him again is at her school. Surprise! She finds out he is her new teacher. Things start to become a little complicated for Aria and Spencer rather quickly. I loved it.

What I did not:

For me the only downfall to this book is that I have to keep reading the other books to find out what actually happen to Alison. But that is what makes it fun. J

Final thoughts: 

Pretty Little Liars, was a fun and easy read. All the drama, lies, secrets, and backstabbing made for highly entertaining times. I discovered this book thanks to the television show, and both are now my guilty pleasure; one that I happily enjoy. Pretty Little Liars is a book series, which at the moment goes up to book number 13. This book series proves just how deadly keeping secrets can be…

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Buy:

Amazon | B & N | Powells | Add to Goodreads

My Blog: http://lifeasabookaddict.blogspot.com/

Join Me on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/TheLifeTimesOfABookAddict

Follow Me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/BookAddict4Life