I am super excited to be a part of this blog tour. I absolutely enjoyed Caged In Winter, but I was blown away by Tessa Ever After as I'm pretty sure you all will be too. I'll have my review posted at the bottom, but before that, we have a excerpt from the book along with a giveaway!
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Berkeley
304 Pages
In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…
Jason’s
been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but
now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family
business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his
best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister,
he can’t just say no.
Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After
dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a
teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at
twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s
looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.
A
relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they
can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her
daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not
sure he’s ready for.
tessa
I threw the game. Despite my daughter wanting me to win—for girls everywhere, she said—I couldn’t.
I feigned exhaustion, letting my body slump to the ground. Because my blood was
boiling, my body on fire as I pressed against Jason’s body during a stupid game
of Twister, and I couldn’t take it anymore. If Haley hadn’t been in the room, I
would’ve pulled Jason down on top of me and let him strip me down right there
on that stupid plastic mat.
In reality, I had a four-year-old to attend to instead of
doing everything I wanted to. In the thirty minutes since putting Haley to bed,
my urgency has faded, leaving behind only a subtle hum under my skin, but it’s
there. This vibration of need when Jason is around that I never bothered to
notice before. Or that I willingly ignored, which is probably more the case.
Despite that, despite wanting him, I’m in the bathroom
under the guise of freshening up, even though I showered just a couple hours
ago. I’m stalling, and I don’t know why. Haley’s asleep, Jason’s in the living
room, presumably waiting for me, and I’m hiding in the bathroom.
Several minutes go by before a soft knock sounds at the
door, sending me jumping nearly a foot in the air.
“Yeah . . .” I try to say, except my voice
comes out all scratchy and breathless, so I clear my throat and try again.
“Yeah?”
“Do you want me to just go home, Tess?”
“What?” I whip the door open, eyes wide and frantic,
because that is absolutely not what I want. Not even a
little bit. Leaning his shoulder against the doorjamb, Jason’s eyes snap to
mine as soon as the layer of wood isn’t separating us anymore, and in that
split second when our eyes meet, the heat between us cracks and sizzles just
like it did while we were playing the game. Just like it’s been doing anytime
we’re within twenty feet of each other. Shaking my head, I say, “No. I don’t
want you to go home.”
His eyebrows lift up on his forehead, his expression one
that clearly says he thinks I’m full of it. “You sure? Because you’ve been
hiding in here for ten minutes.”
I open my mouth to argue with him about the hiding bit, but
there’s no use. Instead, I simply nod and swallow, not sure I can find the
words to tell him exactly what’s going on with me.
Mostly because I don’t even know myself.
It’s not like I’m a virgin, and even though it has been a
while, I’ve never gotten like this with any of my previous partners. Never had
this overwhelming nervousness, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. No idea
why there’s this swarm of bees buzzing around in my stomach. Why I’m all
breathless with anticipation and anxiety.
But then Jason steps forward, right into my space, one hand
coming up and cupping the back of my neck while the other goes to my hip, his
thumb slipping under the material of my shirt to graze the skin above my
waistband, and I know exactly why there’s a tornado in
my belly.
“Last chance,” he murmurs, his breath washing over my lips,
and I don’t think I could tell him to stop even if I wanted to.
But I don’t. I don’t want to, so I shake my head, and
finally—finally—he closes the distance between us and
puts his lips to mine. The kiss is tentative at first, a question, and even
though he gave me an out just a moment ago, I love that he’s not pushing it.
When I don’t pull away, don’t do anything but grip the front of his shirt in my
fists and pull him closer to me, he takes that as an answer and swipes his
tongue across my lips. On a moan, I open to him, desperate to taste him again
in a way I didn’t allow myself to think about before now.
Jason’s grip on me tightens, his thumb rubbing in circles
against the pulse point at my neck, and I know he can feel my heart flying. It’s
nearly pounding right out of my rib cage. His other hand curls around my hip, pulling
me closer to him, flush with him, and I can’t stop from gasping into his mouth.
He’s against me, all of him, strong and solid and hard,
and I didn’t realize how much I wanted this until this very moment.
He’s already good at reading my cues, because no more have
I thought it than we’re walking, fumbling down the hallway and into my bedroom.
The door isn’t even closed before I start tugging up his shirt, desperate to
feel his skin against mine. With a grunt and a curse, he reaches back and yanks
his shirt over his head before his lips are back on mine, his tongue sliding
against my own, and I can hardly breathe I want this so badly.
In the dozen-plus years of his being in my life, I’ve seen
him without a shirt on too many times to count, but I’ve never felt his bare skin. Not like this. He’s sinewy and muscular,
the body of a runner, all tall and lanky, the muscles in his abdomen defined
but not obscene, his biceps cut but not bulky. I run my hands over every part
of him I can reach, sliding from his chest to his stomach, following the trail
of hair down then hooking into the waistband of his jeans, and I want those
off, too.
“Jesus, Tess,” he groans into my mouth, and the roughness
of it washes over me like a warm rain, comforting me in a way I didn’t realize
I needed. He wants this. Me. Desperately. It’s
reassuring to know I’m not in this on my own.
His lips brush across my cheek, his teeth nipping at my
chin, his tongue licking a line up the column of my neck, and I think I might
die right here. I might actually die, because my heart feels like the pounding
hooves of a thousand horses, and I can’t seem to get my clothes off fast
enough.
a
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So guys,
Jason and Tessa have known each other for years. Her brother Cade is Jason's best friend. When Cade gets a job offer that he can't refuse, he leaves the state, thus leaving Jason with the important role of looking after Tessa and her daughter, Haley. Jason takes his new role seriously. From playdates with Haley to late night venting sessions with Tessa, Jason has become this solid rock that Tessa comes to rely on most. Then the feelings, which have been lurking under the surface, start coming out and both must decide just how important the other is.
Brighton Walsh captured my heart with Caged in Winter, the story of Tessa's older brother Cade and his now girlfriend Winter. But with Tessa Ever After, she stole it completely. These characters that she's created - this odd family of sorts - seem so real that it's almost like you're listening to an old friend talk about their life rather than reading a story.
Tessa was young when she became a mom, but she adapted quick - she had to. Haley is her world. This, plus losing her parents, meant that she really had no one but her brother. When he leaves, her life is thrown into chaos. Gone is the structure that once comforted her, now she's struggling to pick up her daughter from day care on time, cook dinner, and just be a mom.
Jason comes from a family of wealth - but with strings. His parents expect him to take over the family business, something that Jason wants no part of. Afraid to tell his parents this, he acts out in other ways - mostly chain hookups. But one thing that he will always do is drop everything when Tessa calls. Slowly, without him even realizing it, Tessa and Haley become his world. Something that he knows shouldn't be, and not even because it's his best friends sister, but because Tessa deserves more than what Jason thinks he can give her.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Every action that every character did made sense. Walsh wrote them in such a perfect way that even when they should have pissed me off, I wasn't mad. It was in their nature to act as they did and I was just along for the ride. The growth that both of these characters go through is plain to see. Jason's is a little more obvious as he's struggling to break free of his parents. But even with Tessa, a girl who's had to grow up before her time, is still learning about herself and what she wants vs what she thinks she needs.
Throw in an adorable child and I wanted more. Especially scenes with Haley and Jason. There is just something about a grown man playing dress up with a little girl that just melts the heart. And melt it he did, like polar ice cap melting.
The chemistry between these two was just off the charts which led to some great sexy times. But there were also the moments of true friendship, of two people supporting each other, that just made this come full circle for me. It wasn't just about finding love with each other, it was about finding themselves, as corny as that sounds. It's rare that a sequel surpasses the first, but this one certainly did. Ahhh, writing this review has made me want to reread it. Everyone needs to read this one. Right now!
I want to thank Berkeley for allowing me to be a part of this Blog Tour. I received an e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: July 31, 2016
