I grab her exploring finger just as it reaches my happy trail—a trail that if I let her wander down further will lead us to do things we can’t take back. Things like three-word phrases being confessed that would end me if I was rejected. Things like selfishly wanting to own her body and doing things to her that would make my fantasies blush. And things like making her promises too soon that won’t do either of us any good. She makes me want a future that’s not possible, and one I don’t deserve.
Listening to my ego got me into this situation. Will listening to my heart get me out?
The book is released today, but the ebook links aren't available yet - we will update the post with them as soon as we can.
Paperback Links:
Reviewed by Willow ~ 3.5 Stars
**ARC received for honest review**
This book starts off with Mallory flying to Hawaii to stay with her best friend for two and a half months for summer break. At the airport she clocks a couple saying goodbye to each other. Noting that the girl is quite clearly more into the guy than he is her, Mallory is intrigued so continues to watch. The guy winks at her and she decides he's obviously a jerk if he can flirt whilst saying bye to his girlfriend.
Outside the airport Mallory gets a message from her friend apologising for not being there to collect her as she's at the hospital because she's hurt her hand, she asks Mallory to get a Taxi instead. Whilst waiting for one, the jerk shows up and starts talking to Mallory, He introduces himself as Evan and offers her a lift. With no Taxi in sight, she takes it. There is banter between the two on the journey and she asks about his girlfriend. He explains that he doesn't do relationships and is open and honest about it. Its not his fault the ladies think there's more to it. A first Mallory is disgusted by it, but she spends the afternoon with him ending up at his house and ends up sleeping with him. The next day she realises it means nothing to him and although she is hurt at the way he acts, she decides to move on and not think about it again.
I must admit at this point I thought she was stupid getting into a car with a stranger after arriving in Hawaii and going back to his house -I really wasn't impressed with how quick this happened, But I reminded myself it was a book and well rules are changed in books so I let it slide and i'm glad because the one nighter thing is central to Evan's story.
Mallory starts working at a restaurant on the beach where her friend works. It seems to be the hang out of the local kids during the day. There she meets a local guy named Noah, he seems nice enough and he's clearly into her. Although Mallory keeps thinking about Evan, she knows it was nothing to him so agrees to go out with Noah.
Evan turns up at the restaurant and sees Mallory is working there. He's been thinking about her since that night, he wants her again and this isnt something that he usually does and through out the book he struggles with this. When he realises that she is hanging out with Noah, he's not happy. We learn that there is bad blood between the two, although no one will talk about it.
The story is told from two points of view, Mallory and Evan. If you've read my reviews before you'll know that I love it when stories do this. I love knowing what other characters are thinking and I love seeing a different side to them. This book doesn't disappoint there. I actually thought that Evan was a jerk at first but once we got to his POVs I actually really started to like him. He is definitely my favourite character of the book.
I did really feel for him with his relationship with Mallory during the first half of the book. Mallory was annoying me I just wanted to yell at her to just talk to him, let him in! there was a lot of toing and froing on her part with her feelings for him, BUT he most definitely didn't help the situation.
I thought the relationship with Mallory, Evan and Noah kinda had a twilight feel to it. There's the one she really wants to be with, but its dangerous (for her heart) and the one she feels she should be with because it's the safer option, but although she cares greatly for Noah, its nothing in comparison and so he's a really good friend, but I can see this relationship developing.
I didn't realise that this book was book 1 in a series until I got to the end. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there are definitely more things you need to know - although little bits are fed to you about the bad blood between Noah and Evan, you don't actually know exactly what it's about, there is obviously more to this story that is going to come out in the next books - add in Mallory between the two and I think there is going to be more bad blood between them. You also have Evan's issues with his parents and his mum trying to keep Mallory away from him and the fact that summer break is over and Mallory has to leave Hawaii to return school. - what's going to happen to the relationships she's formed? At the end of the book there is a sneak peak at book two and you can see that things aren't going to be easy for Mallory.
I think for me, if this was a standalone book, there was something definitely missing, but viewed as the beginning of a series it is a good read and a good start a building up characters and relationships.
S.L. Scott has a degree in Journalism and is the author of the novels—Naturally, Charlie, and A Prior Engagement as well as several novellas, including Sleeping with Mr. Sexy and Morning Glory--all currently available on Amazon. Pursuing her passion for telling stories, she spends her days escaping into her characters, letting them lead her on their adventures. She is a Contributor to Huffington Post and writes for her own blog along with several other popular sites.
Travelling, music festivals, and surfing are a few of the hobbies she loves, but she doesn't get to enjoy on a regular basis. She has an obsession with movies, a varied taste in books, and collects Fitz & Floyd teapots. With a memory full of useless trivia facts, and a Keurig addiction, she loves a fun night in with her family as much as a loud night out with her friends.
Scott lives in the lively city of Austin with her husband, two young sons, and two Papillons, enjoying life in the beautiful hill country of Texas.
She welcomes your notes at sl@slscottauthor.com.
Author Social Media Links:
Blog: www.slscottauthor.com
Twitter: @slscottauthor
FB Authors Page: https://www.facebook.com/slscottpage
Amazon Authors Page: http://www.amazon.com/S.L.-Scott/e/B009L9SPDK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Huffington Post Contributor Page: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sl-scott/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/slscott1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Slscottauthor
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Thanks for hosting, I've been trying to win a kindle forever cause reading on my iphone is killing me. LOL Much Love, Amanda Brown <3
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