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Showing posts with label Rachel Brookes. Show all posts

{Re Cover Reveal} Be My December by Rachel Brookes

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Title: Be My December

Author: Rachel Brookes

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 27, 2014

BLURB

I had no plans to become someone’s Prince Charming.   I couldn’t be. I refused to be. My plan was simple—do whatever it takes to correct my biggest mistake, my one regret that now controlled my life.   I was on track. I had plans, but then everything changed when I saw her—the girl in the red jacket, the girl who I was told couldn’t say no.   The reserved yet stunning Eden Rivers.  A girl who can’t say no.  A guy who craves redemption.  A chance encounter?  It all comes down to this.  One question.  One month.  Be My December?

Buy The Book

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes And Noble 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Rachel Brookes is from a coastal town on the east coast of Australia where beaches, kangaroos and surfers roam free. She writes angsty love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance and a spoonful of sexiness… oh and the main ingredient hot guys.  Rachel sometimes forgets to eat, sometimes forgets to sleep and sometimes can’t remember the last time she cleaned her apartment but that’s because she is in a long term relationship with her laptop and is constantly writing.   When she does step away from her laptop she can be found taking too many photos, making scrumptious cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends.  Books currently available include The Breathe Series - Just Breathe, Breathless and Breathe Again. Be My December will be available August 2014. 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BEST NA BOOKS OF 2014!!

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Here are my Top 10 NA Books of 2014!

(in no particular order)

Be My December by Rachel Brookes

Loved seeing a heroine with such a tragic past get her HEA is this one, very emotional!

Make It A Double by Sawyer Bennett

Brooding bad boy Brody made this book for me. Such an intense and beautiful story!

Girl In Love by Caisey Quinn

Music, heartache and the perfect ending to this awesome series!

Where There's Smoke by Elizabeth Lee

Such an exciting, action packed romance!

Inside Out by Lia Riley

Such a fantastic series, and Lia saved the best until last, with this fabulous conclusion to the trilogy!

Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young

I'm a huge fan of friends to lovers storylines, and this is one of the best!

Let Me Know by Stina Lindenblatt

I cried several times in this book, it was heartrenching at times, but such a beautiful story!

Misunderstandings by Tiffany King

I loved the unique storytelling technique with a combination of flashback & present day chapters!

Whisper To Me by Christina Lee

Girl falls for her best friend's, pierced and tattooed older brother...enough said!

And my favourite NA book of 2014 was...

Make It Count By Megan Erickson

I can't exactly explain it, but something about this books and in particular the heroine, spoke to me. I also love a sweet 'good guy' hero, and Alec is that and so so much more. He's an intelligent, nerdy, sweet caring man and he is one my all time favourite Book BFs!

So that's my list of the best NA books of 2014!

Do you agree? Have I missed any of your must read NAs?!

Sydney Author Event Wrap Up!

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So I've been waiting for this event for over a year, and I can't happily say it was so worth the wait! This was my first big author event and it was so exciting to see so many amazing authors and readers share in our love of books.

Thank you to all the organisers and authors who made the day such a success and I can only hope that this will become and annual event!

So 5am Saturday morning I packed up my books and I made the train trip up to Sydney. Here is a before and after shot of my luggage…

SO. MANY. BOOKS.

I also met the new love of my life, Liam Hemsworth.

But Drake just couldn't help but photobomb our romantic photo.

BOOK HAUL!

Here are all the awesome books I picked up over the weekend…just one problem, I have nowhere to put them all now?! Every single author I met was so lovely and took the time to chat, fangirl and take photos.

Rachel Brookes

I have to say I was especially excited to meet the awesome Rachel Brookes. After reading and loving her books, and chatting to her online for over a year, I couldn't wait to meet her. And she was even more lovely in person that I could have expected!!

And um *scuffs foot* see that banner behind us? I may have designed that and the postcards on the table there. It was kind of awesome to see my designs at a real life event :)

Jenn Sterling

Jenn was so bubbly and exciting, you can't help but smile while talking with her. She's also kind of tall, although according to her I'm "so cute and little" haha! Her accent actually reminded me of the receptionist, Linda from the TV show Becker ;)
And look Drake decided to photo bomb me again!

Samantha Young

Samantha's series is one of my all time favourites and I couldn't wait to fangirl over her in person! She was so lovely and just I adore her accent!

CJ Duggan

CJ was the first author I saw and she was so lovely! I was also lucky enough to be one of the first 20 to at her table and scored these adorable buttons, poster and nail file! Her books are fabulous and I'm so excited for her to have signed a book deal with Hachette!

Jay McLean

Awesome books and awesome author…anyone who bids over $200 for a cardboard cutout of Liam Hemsworth must be pretty kickass!

Lilliana Anderson

I loved reading her book that was set in Sydney and it was so cool that I'd actually been the the bar that was mentioned in the book! Lilliana was generous with her time and chatted with everyone over lunch too! We had a very in-depth discussion over the parmesan shortbread with mushy peas :P

Elle Casey

Loved that Elle made the trip over with her hubby, they both chatted and were really lovely people! Plus I now have a few spare glasses cloths - I even gave one to my mum - the look on her face was priceless ;)

Jennifer Ryder

I missed the pre-orders for her books for this event so I had to buy it online - I actually ended up surprises her that I already had the book, as she didn't know it was available online yet! :)

Laurelin Paige

Cassia Leo

Kasey Millstead

Maya Banks

R.K. Lilley

As there were so many authors, it wasn't possible to have a book from each author, so I collected signatures from each of them to frame:

AND...AND...FREE BOOKS THAT CAME IN THE GOODY BAGS!!!
THANKS YOU!!

Such an amazing weekend! I also got to briefly see some Twitter friends Keely and Pavan in the mad rush around CJ Duggan's table! My sister & I then finished of the day with Lindt ice cream while watching the fireworks over Darling Harbour!!

The Sydney Author Event was such as success and I can't tell you how much fun I had! The only low point was when I tripped up the stair right in front of the Firefighter's (selling fundraiser calendars). If my life was a novel, one of them would have caught me ;)

{ARC Review} Be My December by Rachel Brookes

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Title: Be My December

Author: Rachel Brookes

Published: 28th September 2014

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

BLURB:

I knew the exact moment I’d become a ‘yes’ girl.

December 16th, a cold winter’s night, four years ago.

The night my innocence was stolen, the night I made the mistake of saying no—a mistake I’d never make again.

The dream of a ‘happily ever after' was now a locked away myth. I promised myself that I’d never return to the place of my worst nightmare, that I’d never let anyone get close, but then again, I never thought I’d meet someone like him.

The intense, confident and beautiful Ky Crawford.

I had no plans to become someone’s Prince Charming.

I couldn’t be. I refused to be. My plan was simple—do whatever it takes to correct my biggest mistake, my one regret that now controlled my life.

I was on track. I had plans, but then everything changed when I saw her—the girl in the red jacket, the girl who I was told couldn’t say no.

The reserved yet stunning Eden Rivers.

A girl who can’t say no.

A guy who craves redemption.

A chance encounter?

It all comes down to this.

One question.

One month.

Be My December?

Be My December is an incredibly powerful and emotional journey and for me is Rachel's best novel yet!

REVIEW:

The story:

Well this book was an incredibly intense and emotional journey. From the very first scene we are thrown into a scene that effected me so powerfully. What Eden goes through is something no woman should ever experience. Ever since her traumatic experience she's been hiding herself away from the world, only giving people a small glimpse of the amazing woman she really is. She's become what she calls a 'yes' girl - someone who never says no to anyone, afraid of the consequences and pain that will follow.

Ky has also been struggling with his own torment. He's been punishing himself for years, for not being able to protect Eden, and now that he's hiring her as a photographer for the magazine we works at, he sees this as an opportunity to make amends for his mistakes and bring Eden out of her shell. In Ky's words:

"I will make you realise that saying no is your given right and that saying yes can still be a beautiful thing." ~Ky

Together Ky & Eden embark on what they agree is a month long…shall we call it…experiment, believing that Eden will move away again after the month of December and her photography contract is over. But come January, will they be able to deny the feelings they have for each other?

The characters:

Eden was one of those characters that you know has so much vibrance and personality, but is so afraid and fearful of the world, that she doesn't let it shine. At first get to see glimpses of the real Eden, but it's not until she starts to spend time with Ky that the sassy lady starts to shine through. It was beautiful to see her grow and learn to be her true self.

Ky, is 'self-blamer'. He continually blames himself for not being there for Eden and now he is relishing the opportunity to put the spark back in Eden eyes. What was great to see was that Ky also grows as a character, becoming stronger and rock for Eden to lean on.

The romance:

Ky & Eden are exactly what each other need. They both need someone to help them overcome their past and create a better future. They have an undeniable attraction between them, but there is also so much more than that. They have an understanding and deeper emotional connection that was evident in every scene together, and it was lovely watching them fall madly in love.

The writing:

Rachel hasn't shied away from the very difficult topic of sexual assault. There are some very graphic scenes depicting what Eden went through. There is no sugarcoating, which gives us an insight into what Eden has had to endure. And although they are tragic & heartbreaking, they have been handled very tastefully. Rachel has also balanced the heavy storyline with some humour and sexy scenes, which was very effective.

FINAL WORD:

Be My December is an incredibly powerful and emotional journey and for me is Rachel's best novel yet!

CONTENT:

Sexuality: medium-strong / several sex scenes

Violence: very strong / graphic descriptions of sexual assault

Language: medium-strong / frequent f words

Drugs & alcohol: mild

{Cover Reveal +GIVEAWAY} Be My December by Rachel Brookes

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Title: Be My December

Author: Rachel Brookes

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 31, 2014

GOODREADS

BLURB:

I knew the exact moment I’d become a ‘yes’ girl.
December 16th, a cold winter’s night, four years ago.
The night my innocence was stolen, the night I made the mistake of saying no—a mistake I’d never make again.
The dream of a ‘happily ever after' was now a locked away myth. I promised myself that I’d never return to the place of my worst nightmare, that I’d never let anyone get close, but then again, I never thought I’d meet someone like him.
The intense, confident and beautiful Ky Crawford.

I had no plans to become someone’s Prince Charming.
I couldn’t be. I refused to be. My plan was simple—do whatever it takes to correct my biggest mistake, my one regret that now controlled my life.
I was on track. I had plans, but then everything changed when I saw her—the girl in the red jacket, the girl who I was told couldn’t say no.
The reserved yet stunning Eden Rivers.

A girl who can’t say no.
A guy who craves redemption.
A chance encounter?

It all comes down to this.
One question.
One month.

Be My December?

EXCERPT:

Everything happened so quickly. My hand encased hers, entwining our fingers in a protective move I couldn’t put into words. I didn’t stick around to hear anything else Nick decided to spit. I tugged on our joined hands and she, without question, followed me though the crowd towards the far corner of the bar where we were still close enough to the action yet able to be hidden from the fuckwit likes of Nick Edwards. My mind raced about what I could possibly say to explain my irrational actions. Since when had I become some knight in shining armor?

When we reached our refuge, I halted and dropped her hand. The moment I stepped back, I collided with a hard wall of Josh’s body, and over my shoulder, I found Josh staring at me with wide eyes. I tore my eyes from Josh and turned to find Eden, her friend, and Ashlyn awaiting my next move.

“Do something, dickhead. All eyes are on you after that little performance. You don’t go caveman and grab your woman and then just stand beside her like she’s a stranger.”

Josh was right. I looked back towards the corner of the bar and wasn’t surprised to find Nick and his crew watching with knowing smirks on their faces. Fuck. I had two choices. I could walk away right now, leave the bar knowing that I had done a good deed, and hope to Christ that she could take care of herself, or I could man the fuck up and finish what I’d started.

I pulled Eden firmly against me, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist so her back was flush with my chest. Resting my chin on her shoulder, I couldn’t help but notice how well her body molded to mine. She still hadn’t said a word. Her body was rigid in my arms, and after I heard her inhale sharply, she now held her breath.

“You’ve got to breathe,” I whispered into her ear.

Once again, she simply nodded. She trembled like a leaf in a hurricane against me. Her hands finally clutched my bare forearms, which were resting over her stomach. Her nails dug into my flesh, sending a shot of pain up through my arms, but I didn’t say a thing.

Her body wouldn’t stop trembling, and without hesitation, my grip tightened, trying desperately to pull her body closer to mine. She was completely breaking down in my arms and I didn’t know what the fuck to do, so I did what I hoped would calm her down.

I held on to her for dear life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends.
With her first novel, Just Breathe, due to be released in July 2013, her dream of releasing a book will become reality. With another three books already taking up her mind, she cannot wait to start this crazy ride.

Rachel Brookes is from a coastal town on the east coast of Australia where beaches, kangaroos and surfers roam free. She writes angsty love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance and a spoonful of sexiness… oh and the main ingredient hot guys.
Rachel sometimes forgets to eat, sometimes forgets to sleep and sometimes can’t remember the last time she cleaned her apartment but that’s because she is in a long term relationship with her laptop and is constantly writing.
When she does step away from her laptop she can be found taking too many photos, making scrumptious cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends.
With her first novel, Just Breathe, due to be released in July 2013, her dream of releasing a book will become reality. With another three books already taking up her mind, she cannot wait to start this crazy ride.

Website |Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Tour Review} Breathe Again by Rachel Brookes

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Title: Breathe Again

Series: Breathe #2

Author: Rachel Brookes

Published: 10th March 2014

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

BLURB:

For Savannah Rae, the thought of living in her picture-perfect world was almost too much to comprehend. With her dream job, a family she could finally call her own, and the beginnings of the best chapter of her life, she still couldn't shake the unnerving feeling that it was all too good to be true.

When Tate’s past becomes his present and Savannah’s present becomes her past, the possibility of a future together collides head-on with reality.

In her darkest days, the words Just Breathe provided a peaceful comfort to Savannah from the heavens above. Now as she and Tate go down the path of new beginnings, brutal endings, and the constant craving of a happily ever after, they are anxious to learn how to Breathe Again.

The perfect conclusion to a fantastic series

REVIEW:

The story:

In the final instalment in the series, Tate & Sav have many new challenges to face in their relationship. With Sav pregnant and Tate fearful of being a bad father, Tate struggles to believe he'll be any different to his own dad. I really don't want to give any spoilers about this story, because there were so many wonderful and tragic surprises along the way, that to tell you them would just ruin the experience of discovering everything yourself. There where many ups and downs all leading up to a dramatic and oh so satisfying conclusion!

The characters:

Tate and Sav are as stubborn as ever and just don't seem to realise how alike they actually are. When things get tough they just seem to make things even harder for themselves. But this is exactly what makes them so loveable! In the end it's the stubbornness that prevents either of them from giving up of each other.

It was also great to see the secondary characters getting plenty of screen time with Jack, Tanzi & Lucas all back. And I absolutely adored the pivotal roles that Mr Davenport and the sexy Blake played. I want more of Blake!

The romance:

The romance was filled with angst, which created some fabulously sexual tension. It's clear that they both love one another, but with so many obstacles for them to overcome, they struggled to deal with everything. Communication broke down, and issues that could have been solved so easily become massive hurdles in their relationship. I felt their relationship was very realistic in this way. What I loved was that they never gave up and always believed they would find a way back to each other.

The writing:

Rachel's books are always filled with a great mix of sexy and funny scenes. I can't tell you number I times I was laughing one minute and tearing up the next! This was one amazing roller coaster rise of emotions!

FINAL WORD:

The final book in a series is always bittersweet. I'm so happy with how this story played out, but I'm sad to say goodbye to these wonderful characters! Breathe Again was the perfect conclusion to a fantastic series! And I am looking forward to the possibility of some companion novels!

CONTENT:

Sexuality: medium-strong / several descriptive sex scenes

Violence: mild / minor fights

Language: strong / frequent f words etc

Drugs & alcohol: mild / set in bar

{Release Blitz + GIVEAWAY} Breathe Again by Rachel Brookes

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Title: Breathe Again (Breathe #2)

Author: Rachel Brookes

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release: March 10, 2014

SYNOPSIS:

The thought of a life without Savannah was incomprehensible to Tate Connors. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would find his girl in the form of a sassy, stubborn, beautiful Australian. Finally he had the girl and life he so desperately wanted, but he still couldn't ignore the fear that it would crash around him. When Tate’s past becomes his present and Savannah’s present becomes her past, the possibility of a future together collides head-on with reality. In her darkest days, the words Just Breathe provided a peaceful comfort to Savannah from the heavens above. Now as she and Tate go down the path of new beginnings, brutal endings, and the constant craving of a happily ever after, they are anxious to learn how to Breathe Again.

AUTHOR

Rachel Brookes is from a coastal town on the east coast of Australia where beaches, kangaroos and surfers roam free. She writes angsty love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance and a spoonful of sexiness… oh and the main ingredient hot guys. Rachel sometimes forgets to eat, sometimes forgets to sleep and sometimes can’t remember the last time she cleaned her apartment but that’s because she is in a long term relationship with her laptop and is constantly writing. When she does step away from her laptop she can be found taking too many photos, making scrumptious cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends. With her first novel, Just Breathe, due to be released in July 2013, her dream of releasing a book will become reality. With another three books already taking up her mind, she cannot wait to start this crazy ride.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

TEASER

“Sav, are you ready?” Tate’s voice boomed through the hotel room. I gave myself a once-over and nodded at my reflection. It was now or never. My heels clicked on the polished floorboards as I moved towards the living area of our room. My hands nervously skimmed down the front of my white bandeaux dress as I waited with bated breath for Tate to see me. The theme for the evening was black, white, and red, and I was in my white dress with my red heels, my black clutch, and my blond hair swept to one side in a cascade of curls over my shoulder. “Sav, we really—” Tate turned in my direction and his face stilled as his eyes raked over my body. As he shifted his gaze from my red heels, up my legs, and over my hips, hesitating at my boobs and then finally landing on my face, I felt my cheeks burn under his gaze. I seriously needed to get my blushing under control. “Fuck,” Tate hissed between clenched teeth as his possessive eyes undertook their second assault of my body. I was getting the reaction I’d craved and the lioness began to purr within me. I strutted towards him, the sound of my heels clicking against the floorboards matched the increasing beat of my heart perfectly. My lust-filled eyes landed on his bottom lip, which he was gnawing on with his teeth, and I suddenly felt alive. “Like what you see, Mr. Connors?” I twirled in front of him, making sure I was just outside of arm’s reach. “In a dress like that, Miss Rae, you are the spawn of Satan.” He took a step towards me and I was suddenly lost under the scent only he possessed. “And for once I’m not afraid of visiting Hell to get what I want.” “Well we can’t visit Hell because we have a bar opening to go to.” I spun on my heel and took off through the room, loving the feeling that sassy Savannah was out to play.

Rachel's Other Books