Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
I love a good book quote. Whether it's one that makes me laugh, makes me think, or makes my heart melt, I'm there for them all. My physical books have multi-colored tabs sticking out, looking like confetti, marking all the quotes that, for whatever reason, meant something to me. My Kindle books have highlights throughout them for the same reason.
So here are some of my favorites. These aren't the most meaningful or the most profound. And taken out of context they may not have the same power. But they still have meaning for me.
Having just read The Girl in the Love Song, the first book in Emma Scott's inter-connected Lost Boys series, last month, I am super excited to dive back in and get Holden and River's story!
From USA Today bestselling author comes the second book in the Lost Boys series of interconnected standalones. Holden and River's emotional and heart-wrenching journey to love, redemption, and their happy ever after.
When You Come Back To Me by Emma Scott is now live!
At Santa Cruz Central High School, they called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys...
Holden Parish survived his parents' horrific attempts to make him "the perfect son." After a year's stint in a Swiss sanitarium to recover, he has vowed to never let anything--or anyone--trap him again. Brilliant but broken, he seeks refuge behind alcohol, meaningless sex, and uses his wicked sense of humor to keep people away. He only has to ride out one year in the coastal town of Santa Cruz with his aunt and uncle before he inherits his billions and can make his escape. Disappear.
Falling in love is not in the plans.
River Whitmore. Star quarterback of the Central High football team, Prom King, Mr. Popular, ladies' man. He leads the perfect life...except it's all a lie. His father has River's future in the NFL all planned out, while River's dream is to run the family business in the town that he loves. But his mother's illness is tearing the family apart and River is becoming the glue that holds them together. How can he break his father's heart when it's already shattering?
River's carefully-crafted façade explodes when he meets Holden Parish. A guy who dresses in coats and scarves year-round, drinks expensive vodka, and spends his free time breaking into houses for the fun of it. They're complete opposites. River seeks a quiet life, away from the spotlight. Holden would rather have dental surgery than settle down.
Holden's demons and River's responsibilities threaten to keep them apart, while their undeniable attraction crashes them together again and again, growing into something deep and real no matter how they resist.
Until one terrible night changes everything.
Lost Boys is a new series of interconnected, coming-of-age standalones from USA Today bestselling author Emma Scott, coming in 2020
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in five languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today's Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com
RECENT RELEASES
Someday, Someday (M/M standalone)
A Five-Minute Life (standalone)
Bring Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts #1)
Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts #2)
COMING SOON:
A new YA/NA series of interconnected standalones, coming in 2020
"At Santa Cruz Central High, we called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys."
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
The Husband and I had a little getaway this past week - just a short one (Wednesday thru Friday). A change of scenery and a little R&R seemed long overdue. We booked a resort in Orlando (which is an easy drive from us) and spent a couple days poolside. While I was pleased with all the safety measures in place, I can't say that I was 100% comfortable. I was hyper-aware of my surroundings, keeping distance, keeping an eye on others who didn't seem to share my same level (or any level) of concern. So, while the change in scenery was great, and I enjoyed the downtime, it wasn't quite the relaxing getaway I'd hoped for. For me, it's still too soon for travel. I'll be waiting a while until things have changed significantly in my state before we try again.
Florida's governor has declared that we are moving into phase 3 reopening and that restaurants can now operate at 100% capacity with no restrictions. But there was no explanation of why that decision was made now. It's not like our numbers have improved significantly. It feels like people are just tired of dealing with it and are just going to pretend the virus is gone so they can go about their business. The governor included. It's bizarre.
As I type this (Saturday night) the Tampa Lightning are playing Game 5 in the Stanley Cup finals and could very well win the whole series tonight. I'll be staying up late to watch till the very end, for sure. (Fingers crossed that it doesn't go into multiple OT's because it'll be past my bedtime. lol)
This week's 80's music fix is Hourglass (1987) by Squeeze. The Husband can belt out the chorus like a pro and it makes me laugh every time. :)
It's not like my love for all things Sarina Bowen is any big secret. I gush about every new release, every backlist title, every character. So you won't be surprised now as I fangirl and flail about her latest release, Lies & Lullabies. This is the first book in a three book series that was written in collaboration with Devney Perry and Rebecca Yarros. (Rifts & Refrains by Perry and Muses & Melodies by Yarros are both releasing in the next few weeks.)
I inhaled Rifts & Refrains in just a couple sittings. It was just that good and I couldn't get enough of Jonas and Kira. Now pardon me while I sing the praises of yet another delicious offering from Sarina Bowen. :)
Summer nights and star-crossed lovers! From USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.
Once upon a time, he gave me a summer of friendship, followed by one perfect night. We shared a lot during our short time together. But he skipped a few crucial details.
I didn’t know he was a rock star.
I didn’t know his real name.
Neither of us knew I’d get pregnant.
And I sure never expected to see him again.
Five years later, his tour bus pulls up in Nest Lake, Maine. My little world is about to be shattered by loud music and the pounding of my own foolish heart.
M Y T H O U G H T S
If you love second-chance romance, sit back and prepare to fall in love with Kira and Jonas. Five years ago they spent a magical summer together which culminated with one amazing night that neither of them ever forgot. When Kira's attempt to contact Jonas, where she revealed the depth of her feelings for him, went unanswered, she figured his silence spoke volumes. It was a one-time thing for him and now he was gone for good. By the time she learned she was pregnant there seemed little point in trying again. His silence still rang loud and clear in her heart. Along the way she also learned his real identity - front man of the uber-popular band Hush Note - and that seemed even more reason to relegate Jonas to her past. Fast forward five years and Jonas is back in Nest Lake, Maine when he comes face to face with the woman that captured his heart years ago. And by her side is a little girl who looks just like him.
I fell into Jonas and Kira's story from the very start. I was immediately hooked and loved both the flashbacks of their time together five years ago and their unexpected reunion. What made it so easy to be invested in their story was the fact that Bowen created two characters that were so genuine and so likable. Kira had been treated so unfairly by those around her and still had such a good heart. She worked hard, adored her little girl, Vivi, and she had an incredible, tight-knit relationship with her brother, Adam. And Jonas... well, this guy just stole my heart. He was a man who had long since seen through the trappings of fame and wanted something real. His desire to be a part Kira and Vivi's lives was immediate and strong, and I loved the way he was so upfront about his feelings and what he wanted. And I've gotta say, his interactions with Vivi melted my heart every single time. ♥
I think I was every bit as in love with the secondary characters. Hush Note's tour manager Ethan was a total stand-out, and Kira's brother Adam almost stole the show. This guy deserves his own book! (Hint-hint, Sarina!) If you love second-chance romance, rock star romance, lovable characters, swoony romance, scorching sexytimes, emotional scenes, laugh out loud dialogue, and a story that will have you wishing it wouldn't end... grab Lies & Lullabiesnow. You can thank me later.
Note:I received a a complimentary copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarina Bowen is the award-winning author of more than thirty contemporary novels. She has hit the USA Today bestseller's list thirteen times and counting. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.
Sarina is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.
Sarina's books are published in a dozen languages on four continents.
PHYSICAL BOOKS
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