Book Promo: Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Title: Pieces (The Breakaway #2)
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle
Publisher: Rhemalda
Release Date: 14th February 2013

Goodreads - Amazon.co.uk/.com - Book Depository

Staying in love can mean running away...
Two years after watching her kidnappers go to prison, Naomi Jensen is still in love with one of them. Jesse will be released in a few years, and Naomi knows college is the perfect distraction while she waits. But when her new friend Finn makes her question what is right and what is wrong, she begins to wonder if Jesse is the one for her...until she discovers he's out on parole. Naomi must sort through her confusion to figure out where love and freedom truly lie-in Finn, who has no connections to her past, or Jesse, who has just asked her to run away with him.

When she answered the knock on her door, Naomi found Finn standing on her front porch with a cup of iced tea and a Styrofoam box she guessed contained a slice of almond cake.

“I’m sure you could order this somewhere else,” he said with a lopsided smile as he held them out to her, “but nobody makes the combo quite like Java, and you said you wanted to order some when you got back.”

She couldn’t keep the smile off her face as her mouth started to water. “Finn, I invited you over for dinner. That didn’t mean you had to bring something.”

He rolled his eyes. “No, I invited myself over for dinner against your protests, so that does mean I had to bring something. Now, enjoy.” He pushed the cup and box at her. She took both. “And here’s a straw.”

She balanced it on top of the cup and stepped aside to let him in.

“What can I help with?” he asked, rubbing his hands together as he entered the kitchen. “You clearly said this isn’t a date, so I’m going to help.”

Naomi was still standing by the door. She pushed it closed with her foot and followed Finn into the kitchen. He was wearing the ripped jeans again. In fact, she was sure they were the exact same pair he always wore. She smiled at his black Jimi Hendrix shirt.

“It’s pretty much done—just spaghetti. Nothing special.”

He walked to the oven and peeked inside. She had put in a loaf of French bread earlier. “Did you make that?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.

“I haven’t mastered baking yet,” she said, shrugging. “I bought the loaf at the store, but I made a garlic spread to put in the middle. It’s warming up in there.”

“Still, it looks great. And the sauce?” He lifted the lid off the stockpot and peeked inside. “Did you make this from scratch?”

Chuckling, Naomi walked to the counter and set down her almond cake and iced tea. “Yeah, I did. Why are you so fascinated?”

He returned the lid on the pot and turned around. “I don’t know. My mom doesn’t cook much—she never cooked when I was growing up—so, yeah, this all smells amazing. I’m used to eating at Java or boiling ramen noodles.” He put on a wicked smile. “I knew it was a good idea to invite myself over. Maybe I’ll do it more often.”

Naomi grabbed the straw on top of her iced tea and began tearing off the end of the wrapper. “Finn, about us hanging out, I called you because I’m … well, I have a problem and I don’t think anyone will understand except you. I don’t think my housemate Becca would understand what I’ve done since she’s never dropped below a 4.0 GPA. She tends to judge people who slack off.” She finished unwrapping the straw and shoved it through the hole on the cup lid. “And my mom will kill me when she finds out. I’m not sure what I’m going to do and I ….” She picked up the tea and took a long gulp. The heavenly taste kept her tears at bay for the moment. There was no way she was going to cry in front of Finn.

He waited for her to finish. She took another sip of the drink and continued.

“And I have things I need to tell you because you seem to understand me on a level not many people do. Well, two people. You and Jesse.”

Finn nodded.

“Jesse is my boyfriend.”

“I thought as much.”

She looked down at her feet and noticed her nail polish was almost worn off. She always painted her toenails red—the same red Evelyn had used on her nails. When she looked back up at Finn, he was peeking into the uncovered pot on the back burner.

“Noodles,” he said, smiling as steam rose up around his face.

Naomi rushed forward. “I need to check them.” She snatched a spaghetti spoon and leaned past Finn so she could reach the pot. He didn’t move as she twirled the spoon and caught some noodles.

“Want me to get out of the way?” he asked, grinning down at her.

With the spoon still poised over the pot, she looked up at him and realized he was close enough for her elbow to brush against him. He smelled like almond cake. She asked herself for the hundredth time why she had let him come over for dinner.

“No, I’m good,” she said, backing away with the spoon raised in the air. She looked at the dangling noodles dripping hot water onto the floor. The ends were beginning to turn white, which meant they were done. She lifted the spoon above her mouth and took a bite. “Perfect,” she mumbled, chewing. As soon as she noticed Finn watching her with a huge grin on his face, she turned away. “Can you drain the pot in the sink? There’s a colander already in there.”

“Sure.”

Fumbling her way around the kitchen, she let Finn help her set the table and dish up the food. When they were both seated, she put her hands on her knees and took a deep breath. No matter what happened, she wouldn’t screw up. She wasn’t going to hide anymore. She was going to tell Finn the truth, trusting he would understand and be there for her when nobody else could be. She hoped confiding in him would show him how highly she thought of him. His eyes were on her. He unfolded his napkin and set it on his lap. She let out her breath and picked up her fork. “Let’s eat.”

AUTHOR BIO

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Author Links:

-Website: http://www.michelledavidsonargyle.com/

-Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432663.Michelle_Davidson_Argyle

-Twitter: https://twitter.com/LadyGlamis

-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.ladyglamis

 For the other blogs participating in the blog tour click here: http://www.xpressobooktours.com/2012/11/tour-sign-up-pieces-by-michelle.html

Becky

Book Excerpt: Derailed by Alyssa Rose Ivy

 Title: Derailed (Clayton Falls #1)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: 22nd September 2012


Goodreads - Amazon.co.uk/.com (Currently free on Kindle)

When you're lost, sometimes the only place you can go is home.
Broken over the death of her fiancé, Molly leaves law school to return to her childhood home in North Carolina. Expecting to lay low until she can figure out what else to do with her life, she finds herself in the arms of her high school sweetheart, the boy who represents everything from the past she tried to leave behind.
Looking for an escape, she instead finds a way back to the girl she almost forgot existed and a future she never dreamed possible.

Excerpt

With his brown hair buzzed short as usual, and the constant tan with a hint of sunburn he always sported from working on his dad’s boats, my high school sweetheart stood at the counter.
“Molly?” His brown eyes widened. A barely visible smile played on the corner of his lips.
“Hi, Ben.” I smiled, giving a small wave. Inside, my stomach did somersaults. I wasn’t ready for this.
“Wow, what are you doing here? You work at Marney’s again?” He placed a hand on the counter. “Aren’t you supposed to be in Boston?”
“Plans changed.”
“How so?” Ben was never one for mincing words.
“I quit law school.”
“Oh. How’d your fiancé take it?” He said the word ‘fiancé’ like it left a bad taste in his mouth.
“We’re not getting married.”
“Oh… I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, I didn’t exactly spread the word. Did your dad really not tell you I was back?”
“My Dad?”
“I ran into him this morning. I figured he would have mentioned it, or am I wrong and you don’t work with him anymore?” Ben’s plans, aside from his music, had always been to work in his father’s marina sales and rental company and to take over one day. It was hard to pull him away from the water.
“He didn’t mention it.” His face scrunched up the way it always did when he was thinking. “But wow, I definitely didn’t expect to see you.”
“I’ve been getting that a lot.”
“So since you’re working here, does that mean you plan to stay around?” I couldn’t tell what answer he wanted.
I leaned up against the back counter. “Maybe… I really don’t know. This was kind of a last minute decision.”
“How last minute?”
“Meaning I walked out of class, packed up what I wanted from my apartment, and left the city.”
“That’s… cool.” Ben put his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah.”
We stood in awkward silence for a while, just looking at each other. “So, can I get you something?”
“Oh sure, the special.”
“Okay, coming right up.” I grabbed one of the chicken salad sandwiches I had spent so much time making and wrapped it up. “So what have you been up to?” I called over my shoulder.
“You know, work mostly—I’ve started a side business taking out fishing tours. It keeps me pretty busy. I’m still playing with the guys, though.”
“Yeah, I heard that.” I fidgeted nervously while holding his sandwich in one hand. Making small talk with Ben wasn’t easy. There was way too much we needed to say to each other, but couldn’t.
“We’re playing tonight at Gill’s. You should come.”
“Oh, I don’t know, but thanks.”
“Come on, you should. I promise we’re better than in high school.” He smiled, and I knew I was lost. It was impossible to say no to that smile.
“All right.”
“Yeah? Okay, cool. Maybe we can catch up after? It’s been a long time.”
“Okay.” I filled a cup with Coke. I assumed he hadn’t changed his drink of choice.
He looked torn for a moment. “Oh, and Mol?”
“Yeah?” I placed his drink on the counter.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you up in Boston.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“See you later.”
“Bye.”
As soon as the door chime sounded announcing Ben’s exit, Gail came out to join me. “Now that’s the old Molly. All it took was five minutes with Ben Mathews. I think we found your solution.”

Author Info

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Author Website: http://www.alyssaroseivy.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5047249.Alyssa_Rose_Ivy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alyssaroseivy

Becky 

Book Excerpt: His Black Wings by Astrid Yrigollen

Title: His Black Wings
Author: Astrid Yrigollen
Publisher: Astrid Yrigollen
Release Date: November 2012

Goodreads - Amazon.co.uk/.com

Claren Maidstone has been forced to flee her childhood home after the death of her parents and a vicious assault from a sadistic young man who intends to marry her. Claren changes her identity and finds employment as an assistant to the handsome Fredrick Lowood, a generous yet mysterious benefactor. However, she soon finds out his generosity comes at a price. Fredrick wishes for Claren to befriend his disfigured son who resides in seclusion at their estate, Westwind.
Fredrick Lowood knows what the history books do not teach, that the Grand Council built this new world of peace and beauty on hidden blood and greed. He has plotted for years to bring down the family that enslaved his own people. Suddenly, he has the last living heir in his grasp.
Etrigan Lowood rejects the world that forces him to hide. He is powerful, plagued with a terrible dark beauty: WINGS. It is these wings that carry him out only at night to watch the unwanted intruder in his home. A creature of refined instinct yet little social grace, he is strangely captivated by Claren but knows nothing of how her family’s dark past is intertwined with his own . Through their blossoming friendship, Etrigan realizes he still retains his human heart and yearns for Claren’s love.
Kurten Wandsworth is the only son of the Mayor of St.Marhen. Kurten lives his life fueled by cruelty and lust. Whatever he wants he takes and he wants Claren to be his wife even it if kills her. Scarred by Claren he hunts her down mercilessly until he can set a trap which she will never be able to escape from.

Excerpt

I didn’t know what to say, so I sat there stupidly. He grinned at me from behind white teeth. His ice blue eyes held a coldness and judgment I had not seen before. My heart fluttered and felt like a huge fish was rolling over in my breast. “Well?” He said as he traced the outline of my knee through my heavy skirt with his slender, white finger. “What is your wish, Claren?” My heart, upon hearing him use my real name beat harder. I felt the adrenaline push itself through my veins. He seemed to be aware of it, and licked his lips quickly. “I don t know what is it you ask Sir.” I stammered, my own voice sounding as a child’s would when confronted with some wrong doing. He had used my real name. Was it safe to assume he knew who I really was? He stopped smiling and cocked his head to one side, contemplating me. “But you do Claren, you know very well what I want, what you want.” How did it ever come to this? I thought franticly. What was I going to do, now that he knew who I was? He seemed to read my thoughts in my eyes because he answered my question without it ever being posed. "What will I do indeed? What can I do is the question, Claren. Here we are on a train, bound for the quaint countryside. No alarm has been raised, no Porter is valiantly trying to fight for your honor or to even help and cover your embarrassment, your lies. Thus, it shall remain so. At least, until we arrive at our destination." “Then what?” I questioned quietly. I am resolved to die, but not without a fight. He knows this. That is why he will not attempt to take me here, on a train full of people. My question hangs in the air between us, like a solid thing. He still has not answered as the whistle of our train shrieks into the wind, we race into the tunnel, blackness engulfing our private car.

Author Info

Astrid started her writing career when she begun work for the international video game giant, Sega of America. Working her way up the ranks, she began writing companion guides for games. With a love for writing fiction since childhood, she took her short stories out of storage and had her first story ever written published. It was only after that she found out that first stories are never published!
She has resumed writing full time and has succeeded in putting out the titles, TheDoughnut Tree, Mysterious Pootkins , and The Mosswoods to name a few. Her short stories have appeared in the literary Threshold Press␣ and Shock and Awe Magazine.
She finds writing for young adults both refreshing and challenging. She always wishes to provide examples of positive role models, conflict resolving methods and communication for young adults with their parents or guardians.

Links
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Becky