Blog tour: Say When (Something More #1) by Tara West
It is Friday and we are one of today's stops on the Say When Blog Tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. Along with a spotlight on this New Adult contemporary romance, we have our review and there are two giveaways: one tour-wide and another giveaway provided by the author for us to offer one lucky reader an eBook copy of Say When. Have a great day and enjoy the weekend.
Say When (Something More #1) by Tara West
New Adult contemporary romance
Paperback/eBook, 244 pages
Publisher: Shifting Sands Publishing
Publication date: July 19th 2013
He told me to say when, but I can’t. Not with Andrés. It’s so hard to say anything when he’s trailing feather soft kisses down my neck, or when his touch sends hot currents of lust rippling across my skin.
Then there’s the way he smiles and offers soft words of encouragement when I’m creating art, almost like he believes I have talent.
He’s not like any guy I’ve ever met. Not like my ex-fiancée. Not like my father. He’s got me thinking that maybe we can have something more. More than just lust, degradation, and abuse.
And now I’m scared, because that means I’ll have to trust him with more than just my body, but with my heart, too.
About the author:
A former Texas high school teacher, I enjoyed coaching the writing team and even the hectic deadlines that came with running the school publications. After taking a break to raise my baby girl, I now work from home as a cover artist.
In my spare time, I loves to read, exercise and spend time with family and friends. I contribute the cover art for my Whispers Series and have designed covers for over 500 other books.
In Say When, Christina is a rich girl with an abusive past. Her mother wants her to marry a wealthy guy so she can reap the results of a favorable union. What about her daughter? Christina has always listened and obeyed, up until now. On the day of her twenty-first birthday, the rebel inside her finally surfaces. Besides ditching her fiance, she sees her best friend for what she truly is, and Christina decides to act upon the instant chemistry she feels between her and the hot cowboy she meets outside a store.
Andres is a veteran, battle scarred and haunted by his past. Surrounded by loving relatives, he tries to make the most of his lot in life, even dealing with the label of "hero." He doesn't want to take over a part of his uncle's business, but how does he let down the family who raised him? He's lonely until he spots a beautiful girl who's druggie best friend's car is on fire from lack of changing the oil in years. A one night stand with Christina fills him with hope. There is something about this girl which brings out the good in him. If only she'll give him another chance to show her how good they could be together.
Two wounded people meet and the impact is instantaneous. Christina and Andres share one of those cases of instant chemistry. Andres wants more but a cautious Christina knows her mother would never accept a lowly-paid mechanic as a husband for her daughter. Now that she has tasted being able to speak up for herself, this college student needs to assert herself even more.
Say When is a typical summer romance--quick, pleasant and predictable. Christina finds herself in lust for a smoking Latin guy with dreamy eyes and a sexy voice. One night should be enough to satisfy her need to act wild. Is it? I wanted to like her character but didn't connect with her. She comes across as spoiled and immature (the opening scene at the Chinese restaurant is a prime example) and I expected to see her change more throughout the story. I also questioned her voice at times. For someone abused, her first bedroom scene felt contradictory to her passive personality. I didn't find her believable, especially her friendship with Karri (a stereotypical low income drug-addicted unintelligent slut with a toddler-ouch).
Andres is a good guy, patient, caring, and dedicated. I liked his character and kept reading to learn more about him. His experience as a soldier who served in Afghanistan helps him identify the trauma he sees in Christina and allows him to pinpoint Karri's problem immediately. He is astute, quiet, a loner by his own decree. As a couple, Andres and Christina hit it off in the bedroom, but I wondered about them a real 'couple.' Love scenes are fine to read and yet I wanted to see more about them as people--their likes, loves, dreams, hopes.
I enjoyed reading moments of Say When but finished expecting a little more.
Rating: 3
Cover comment:
The picture of a couple in some form of embrace has become typical in New Adult. These types of poses are romantic, but in a tight market they begin to blend into one another. For me, this is simply another romance cover and quickly forgettable.
Book source:
I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review during a blog tour.
Giveaways
There is a grand prize giveaway of a $50 Amazon Gift Card. Prize is open internationally. Reader Girls is also giving away one eBook copy of Say When to one reader. Our giveaway ends at midnight on October 25th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have not read Say When yet,I highly recommend that you do so.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great read and a hot romance forming.
They story and characters are simply fantastic.
Tara West is a great artist and writer in her own right.
Must have book.
Get it read it and review it.
Glad you liked it, Laurie! Thanks for being on the tour! :)
ReplyDeleteSay When is nothing less than amazing. I have recommend it to all my reading friends. While there are a few characters in the book that make you want to reach in and slap them (Christina's mom, Kerri and Jackson), their rolls play a big part in Christina's personality at times.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review, Laurie. There is a lot more to Christina and Andres in the next two stories. :)
ReplyDeletethanks for the review and the giveaway too
ReplyDeleteI like the New Adult stories out there. It's an exciting time in a person's life with so many possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read a lot of NA, but I do enjoy the genre.
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