Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock: Excerpt + Giveaway!



I'm happy to share the release of Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock! This contemporary YA novel comes out tomorrow (August 1, 2017) and you can get a sneak peek here with the excerpt below. And don't forget to enter the giveaway for a print copy of Just Friends!

Just Friends
Tiffany Pitcock
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: August 1st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
A new spin on the classic smart-girl-and-bad-boy setup, this witty contemporary romance shows how easily a friendship – even one built on an elaborate lie – can become so much more. Jenny meets Chance for the very first time when she is assigned as his partner in their Junior Oral Communications class. But after they rescue a doomed assignment with one clever lie, the whole school is suddenly convinced that Little-Miss-Really-Likes-Having-A’s and the most scandalous heartbreaker in school have been best friends forever. It’s amazing how quickly a lie can grow―especially when you really, really want it to be the truth. With Jenny, Chance can live the normal life he’s always kind of wanted. And with Chance, Jenny can have the exciting teen experiences that TV shows and movies have always promised. Through it all, they hold on to the fact that they are “just friends.” But that might be the biggest lie of all. Debut author Tiffany Pitcock delivers a spot-on depiction of first love and the high school rumor mill in Just Friends, chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads.

EXCERPT

Chance’s Charger was still parked by the library, where he’d left it that morning. The black paint shone in the afternoon sun. Unfortunately, so did all the dirt clinging to it. I should really get that washed.

“I guess you’ve never been in my car before, huh?” Chance said as Jenny eyed it skeptically. He was wary of people judging his baby.

She circled it, scrutinizing it as she did so. “Of course I have,” she said after she reached the passenger’s side again. “I helped you pick it out.”

Now it was her turn to make up a story. Chance unlocked the door, slipping into the driver’s seat. “You did?” he asked after she climbed in.

“Mhm,” she nodded. “You were unsure about it, you see, because it’s so run down with its ripped seats and messy floor boards. I was the one who convinced you it had character.” She reached into her front pocket, producing a small tube of lip gloss. She flipped down the front visor so she could use the mirror. Chance watched as she applied the gloss – some cherry red flavor, by the strong smell of it. She pursed her lips once before leaning up and pressing her lips to the mirror. She pulled back, revealing a single perfect kiss mark. “I marked my territory, see?”

Damn, Jenny definitely knew how to play the game.

Chance’s eyes lingered on the kiss mark, “As my oldest friend you always get shotgun.”

She nodded, slipping the lip gloss back into her pocket. “Now everybody knows that.”

He had to admit, the sight of her kissing that mirror made his heart hammer. He wasn’t even sure why. For one, he had done a lot more than kiss other girls in that car and yet none of them had got his heart going like Jenny and that mirror had.

Maybe it was because, in the back of his mind, he knew that this was the start of something bigger than those things before. That kiss mark wasn’t a hasty hook up in the backseat of a car, it was precise – it was planned. It was, well, kinda permanent. Many people would pass in and out of that car, but that lip print would stay.

Jenny would stay.


Author Bio:
23. Writer. Reader. Sarcastic.
I was born and raised in Arkansas, which isn’t terribly exciting. I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I used to sit in class and write stories in my notebooks, thinking that everyone did. It turns out, everyone didn’t. I love writing because it means I’m putting my thoughts, feelings, and soul out there for someone else to read – for someone else to feel. The fact that someone can read my words, and empathize with my characters – characters that wouldn’t exist with out me, that I created from my mind – is such a wonderful concept to me. I could happily write for the rest of my life as long as there was one person out there who was affected by my words.



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The Sunday Post #66


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • With a semi-annual management meeting and a management dinner, this past week was one of my busiest weeks at the office all year. I'm always so relieved to have those July events behind me.
  • It rained almost all night and is supposed to rain off and on all day... and I'm loving it! Perfect excuse to stay indoors and just chill.
  • Not a whole lot of reading done this past week. I've read three YA contemporaries in a row (ARC's that are releasing soon) and I'm getting a little slumpy because of it. As soon as I'm done with these I need to dive into something completely different. I'm drowning in sweet contemporaries and teen angst. LOL

       
     

WHAT I READ IN THE LAST WEEK:
Just Friends - Tiffany Pitcock

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
Kissing Max Holden - Katy Upperman

PHYSICAL BOOKS:

Him - Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Because having it in Kindle and Audio just isn't enough, apparently.

KINDLE BOOKS:
  
  
After We Fall - Melanie Harlow
The Room Mate - Kendall Ryan



How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
You know I want to hear about it! :)

That's What He Said Thursday #34

(graphic created by Kei at The Lovely Pages Reviews)

That's What He Said Thursday is a weekly meme created 
and hosted bChapter Break. It's a fun way to share a quote 
from a favorite book boyfriend (aka male protagonist) to his girl.
For more info, visit Chapter Break here.
 
I'm currently rereading It Ends With Us (on audio this time)
so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to share 
one of my favorite quotes.


"In the future... if by some miracle you ever find yourself
in the position to fall in love again... fall in love with me."


What's your most recent favorite romance?


Review: Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Series: No

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Provided by Publisher

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then... to her astonishment --

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie's life was unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.

Raise your hand if you've ever played the "what would you do if you won the lottery" game. Yeah, me too. That what if scenario is played out here in Kasie West's latest, Lucky in Love.

Maddie is a girl with her feet firmly planted on the ground. Instead of hoping and dreaming, she depends on setting goals and hard work. But when her 18th birthday is a total flop, she buys a lottery ticket on a whim - and wakes up the next day a multi-millionaire. News travels fast and suddenly Maddie is the center of attention at school and hanging out with the popular crowd. Fancy cars, parties on yachts, designer clothes... it's all possible now. This new windfall also means her brother can afford to go back to college and her parents have even stopped fighting. But millions in the bank doesn't make all problem disappear. In fact, there are all kinds of new ones - and Maddie is no longer sure who she can trust when everyone seems to want something from her.

Lucky in Love takes a lighthearted look at the highlights and pitfalls of sudden wealth. Maddie is a girl who takes on her family's problems as her own, which made her sympathetic and relatable. Unfortunately, she was mostly  left floundering on her own when it came to managing her new fortune and navigating the changes that came with it. I kept wondering why her parents weren't more involved - offering guidance, advice, or at the very least, insisting on consulting with a financial adviser. Yes, Maddie was 18 years old but she was also still a high school student living at home. There were several instances where I was desperate for a responsible adult to step in and be the voice of reason.

The romance between Maddie and Seth, her coworker at the zoo, was sweet and of the slow-burn variety. And maybe it burned a little too slow, because I was never invested in their romantic relationship. Seth was a total sweetheart and, while I loved their easy friendship, I never felt any romantic connection between them.

Overall, Lucky in Love is a sweet contemporary that is perfect for YA fans who enjoy their reads on the lighter side. 


3/5 STARS

Note: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Sunday Post #65


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • It's been a quiet week both at home and at the office. Hallelujah.
  • I'm slowly making my way through the mountain of ARCs that are all releasing in July/August/September. Never again will I get myself in this position. *sigh*
  • I'm still obsessed with the blush pink color that is everywhere right now (a couple months ago I redid my bedroom in blush). Now it's shoes. I ordered these last week and they were delivered yesterday. I'm in love.♥
 


Monday, July 17
Review: Trust by Kylie Scott

Wednesday, July 19
This or That Book Tag

       
     

WHAT I READ IN THE LAST WEEK:
Lucky in Love - Kasie West
Us (Him #2) *AUDIO* - Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Rule (Marked Men #1) *AUDIO* - Jay Crownover

It was a week of re-reads with both Us and Rule. Us never, ever gets old 
and I'm having fun doing a re-read re-listen of the Marked Men series.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
Just Friends - Tiffany Pitcock

PHYSICAL BOOKS:

Damaged Like Us - Krista & Becca Ritchie
It arrived two days before release day and I am one happy girl!

KINDLE BOOKS:
  
  
Built (Saints of Denver #1) - Jay Crownover
Violet Grenade - Victoria Scott

eARCs FOR REVIEW:
  

Far from the Tree - Robin Benway
Our Broken Pieces - Sarah White



How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
You know I want to hear about it! :)