Monday 29 December 2014

Book Review of Pieces Of Mel (Pieces Of Mel Poetry Collection Book 1) by Melina Turner



Book Title: Pieces Of Mel (Pieces Of Mel Poetry Collection Book 1)
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 213
Author: Melina Turner
Date Published: 29 December 2014

Synopsis:
The darkness...The light...The happiness and sadness...Where would we be without such raw emotional being?

Open the pages of international award-winning poet's "Pieces Of Mel" and step into many of the portrayals, opinions, hopes, and beliefs the author expresses so deeply.
From the raw emotions to the miniature poetic stories you will find the proof of the authors passion and soul.

Review:


Pieces of Mel: Poetry Collection (Pieces Of Mel Poetry Collection Series, #1)Pieces of Mel: Poetry Collection by Melina Turner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is a collection of poetry written from the heart of the author.

I find reading poetry to be a very difficult and subjective experience, which is why I very rarely pick up poetry books. This is one genre I struggle to read and relate to. However, I decided to give this book a try.

I started to read the poems and found myself quickly becoming depressed by how they made me feel. I understand that poetry is a tool to express one's thoughts and emotions, but when a poet/author is projecting their darker emotions on a reader who is neither severely depressed or had experience with those darker emotions, it sucks all the enjoyment out of the experience (or so I have found). Granted, the author accurately expressed her emotions into her written words, which was the whole reason for them to be placed into a book in the first place. There are some poems that are not so dark which I liked. One of them was The Old Scottish Bagpipe Player and another was The Moon Dancer. All of the poetry contained in this volume is very descriptive, and the scenes conjured by the author's words are quite vivid in the mind's eye.

I am relatively a happy person most of the time and very rarely suffer with severe depression. This makes it extremely difficult for me to relate to the author and, although I sympathize with her emotionally with regards to the issues she has faced in the past, or is facing now, I cannot empathize. Perhaps if I had felt some of the emotions expressed by the author at one time or another, I could relate better to her words. Just like a sad song will resonate with people who have a broken heart, poetry can do the same for people dealing with emotional issues, but only if a person is feeling, or has felt, the same emotions as the author. Unfortunately, the poetry, although well executed, did nothing for me except to make me feel sad and depressed.

Melina Turner is a talented poetess and writer. Although this book of poetry is not for me, I am looking forward to reading her short story collections in the not too distant future.

I am sorry to say that poetry, especially when it is from the source of a tortured soul suffering with deep depression and loneliness, is not my cup of tea. However, that doesn't mean that other people will not enjoy or relate to this poetry. Therefore, I recommend this book if you love deeply emotive poetry. - Lynn Worton

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Sunday 28 December 2014

Book Review of God is in the Little Things: Messages from the Golden Angels by Patricia Brooks



Book Title: God Is In The Little Things: Messages from the Golden Angels
Genre: Memoir/Spirituality/Religion
Pages: 138
Author: Patricia Brooks
Date Published: September 2014

Synopsis:

God is in the Little Things: Messages from the Golden Angels is a riveting true story which reveals Patricia's struggle to reclaim her connection to her Higher Self and discover the meaning of her life. Travel with Patricia through her past lives from ancient Rome to the cobblestoned streets of colonial Boston. Cry with Patricia as she shares the intimate details of her struggles and how she learns to heal her broken heart. Spiritual revelations unfold before your eyes as Patricia discovers the true meaning of life and begins living her new life with clarity and purpose. Watch as Patricia moves from wounded and weak to a powerful and empowered spiritual being.

Review:


God is in the Little Things Messages from the Golden AngelsGod is in the Little Things Messages from the Golden Angels by Patricia Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A friend of mine recommended this book to me, but I was a little bit skeptical about it, as it is not my usual choice of genre. However, I decided to give this book a try. I am glad I did, because I really enjoyed it. I was riveted from the first page.

I do not see myself as an especially religious person, but I try to keep an open mind about all religions. I have come to the realisation that I am more of a spiritual believer than I had previously thought. Reading this book has opened my eyes to this. I am not a huge fan of memoirs or even books about religion and spirituality, but this book somehow spoke to my inner being.

This book is one woman's journey to find spiritual enlightenment to God using various methods such as prayer, meditation, past life regression and mixtures of East and West religious practices. Her journey is truly inspirational.

In a way, her journey has made me realise that things do happen for a reason. I was faced with a life altering decision earlier this year to leave my full time job and pursue my dream of working for myself as an editor and proofreader. I kept having a prodding feeling towards this and, once I finally did put in my notice, the total feeling of rightness that flooded me was freeing. I don't know if this was God's (or the angels') way of saying "go for it", or if the universe was doing the same. However, having read this book, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps there is a higher power (call it whatever you will, depending on your religious belief (or lack thereof)) watching us all, directing people who are willing to listen towards the paths they should be on. I am not sure if I believe in fate or destiny, but I am grateful to my friend for recommending this book to me.

Patricia Brooks's story is an inspirational tale. Her journey to find her Higher Self has made me want to do the same. I am not sure that my journey will be any easier than hers, but one can only hope that once the journey is over, my life will be richer (spiritually) than it is now.

I highly recommend this book as a MUST READ, no matter what religious beliefs you may or may not have. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:



Rev. Patricia Brooks is author of her book series God is in the Little Things. Her first book is Messages from the Animals and her current book is Messages from the Golden Angels. Patricia's books are her honest and raw retelling of her true spiritual experiences as she walks her spiritual path.
Patricia shares the Divine messages of Oneness and standing in our truth as spiritual beings on her radio show Spiritual Lens on The Contact Talk Radio network. Listen to Patricia on air live or to her podcasts at her host page http://www.ctrnetwork.com/profile/spi... Patricia also authors two spiritual blogs and is a contributing writer to many spiritual magazines.
To be of service to others and to help them connect more fully with the Divine,
Rev. Patricia is an interfaith interspiritual minister who respects and honors all religious and spiritual practices performed for the Highest and Greatest Good of all. She is also an animal totem intuitive, angel card reader, angel healing practitioner and healer with the Seven Rays energy healing system.

Author Links:




Saturday 27 December 2014

Book Review of The Astronomer by Charmaine Pauls



Book Title: The Astronomer
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Pages: 416
Author: Charmaine Pauls
Date Published: 4 December 2014

Synopsis:

Loving someone madly, obsessively, to the point of addiction can be heaven ... or hell. 

The year is 2165. A new blood group has evolved, and biological pairing, called mating, has replaced the old-world marriage ritual. When a stranger saves astronomer Dr. Fraya Riber from drowning, her body goes into a strange state of arousal. Bound to be paired with another, Fraya frantically searches for the answers to the phenomenon that soon becomes an unwelcome addiction. Nothing has prepared her for this painful dependence, and nothing will prepare her for the cure, or the identity of her enigmatic savior. 

Can she reject desire for loyalty? Must she choose between her career and her love? Can passion truly craft a bond that will last a lifetime?

Review:


The AstronomerThe Astronomer by Charmaine Pauls
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

Dr. Fraya Riber is a fascinating character. I liked her a lot, but she has a tendency to overreact and whine at times. She is a dedicated astronomer and is very much a workaholic. After being saved by a stranger, she finds herself attracted to her rescuer. Unfortunately, there is a side affect from this experience she didn't foresee.

Emilio LarraĆ­n is also a fascinating character. I wasn’t sure if I liked him at first, as I found him to be a very domineering and arrogant man. However, he does have some good points; he has a romantic side that made me melt as I got to know him better. Saving a damsel in distress wasn’t planned, but Emilio finds himself strangely attracted to her. Could he have found his perfect mate?

This is an unusual erotic romance novel, with a unique storyline that captured my attention and held it from the first page. This story is set in the future, 2165 to be precise. The world has survived a biological war, which has created a mutation in the survivors. This mutation has lead to a change in the way people choose their life mate. Suffice it to say, that once someone has found their perfect mate, it’s for life.

The story is told through both Fraya’s and Emilio’s points of view, which gives the reader a better understanding of their thoughts and feelings. I did, however, find some of their attitude towards each other a little baffling; they were attracted to each other, but they also seemed to hate each other too, or maybe it was the situation they found themselves in. As the story unfolded however, I really wanted to shake Fraya (or maybe give her a swift kick) to get her to open her eyes instead of being so tunnel visioned about her career. Yes, it is nice to have prestige and be able to work in a field which is still relatively male dominated (even in the future?), but I found her incessant inner monologue about this to be a big irritant and made her seem very selfish; I am not sure who she was trying to convince, the reader or herself.

I really liked meeting Emilio’s grandmother. She is a force to be reckoned with! She has a determination and drive most people would be scared to cross. There are also some other very interesting characters that are introduced. However, I found Gene (Fraya’s boyfriend) to be a bit insipid and lacking in several ways. His character came across as rather weak and disloyal. I suppose this is why Fraya and Emilio’s connection seems so intense.

The sexual chemistry between Fraya and Emilio is extremely volatile. If they were a Molotov cocktail, they would have caught fire and exploded! As it is, they fairly scorch the pages with their antics in and out of the bedroom. Be warned, it’s steamy and rather on the explicit side.

The story has a few twists and turns that surprised me. There is one scene near the end that completely threw me. I won’t go into details, but it is an intense scene full of action and danger. Who knew that ancient Peruvian customs would still be practiced in the future? Certainly not me! The ending felt a bit anti-climatic after all the action, but it finished off the story nicely.

Charmaine Pauls has written an entertaining standalone erotic romance. Her characters are lifelike and come alive on the page. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow is wonderful. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I don’t think it will be my last. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Due to the explicit nature of some of the scenes, as well as use of foul language, I do not recommend this book to readers under the age of 18. I do, however, recommend this book if you love science fiction, erotica or erotic romance genres. – Lynn Worton

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About the Author:



South African born Charmaine Pauls is a gypsy at heart who likes to look at the world from the lens of her camera. She writes dark and paranormal romance novels. The author currently resides in Chile with her husband and children.

Author Links:

Sunday 21 December 2014

Holiday Sale: La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours by Amie Nichols (18+ Erotica)

Let Liam Tarseta warm you up this Christmas.

For the first time ever, 'La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours' is on sale for 99 cents / 77 pence, but only for a limited time. Don't miss your chance to grab this HOT read for under a buck and fall in love with Liam Tarseta and his sexy Italian alpha ways.
Grab your copy now. Sale ends December 24th.


Title: La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours
Author: Amie Nichols
Release Date: July 8, 2014

 Synopsis 

This is a standalone book meant for mature readers. 

Harper Troy, like most students, was working her way through college barely making it by. She hears about an opening at a well known gentlemen’s club, The Guardian, ran by a very well known Chicago family, the Tarsetas. Even though the uniform is very revealing and the other waitresses are catty bitches, the money is worth it. 

Until she meets the youngest Tarseta, Liam. He’s Chicago’s most eligible bachelor and drop dead gorgeous. She feels an instant attraction. Being a known playboy, Harper fights the attraction and his advances. 

Liam has his eyes on Harper the moment he sees her. Being different and not falling for his charms, he is determined to break her down. But Harper refuses to be another notch on his bed post. 

Just when Liam is breaking down Harper’s barriers, he learns some shocking news that changes everything. Can he make her see they are meant to be together, or will he lose her forever?

 Add to Goodreads

 Purchase Links 



 About the Author 



I'm Amie Nichols, and this is my bio. I live in Iowa with my amazing, supportive husband. He is my rock and my king, and treats me like all woman should be treated. (Like a spoiled Queen) 
I have two miniature dachshunds that are my babies, and they love to keep me company when I am writing away on my next WIP. 

I'm about to publish my 6th book, and can hardly believe how my life has changed. I'm called an author, and still can't believe it. I've have met some amazing woman on my journey so far, and have learned so much. (Sometimes the hard way.) I've been like a sponge soaking up all the information I can on how the publishing world works. It's been a rollercoaster ride so far with its ups and its downs. 

No matter what, I will never regret anything I've done. You can't succeed if you don't try, and if you don't try you won't succeed. One of my favorite quotes "If the dream is big enough the facts don't matter".
Some other info about me, I love my family, friends, wine and anything caffeinated. I also love writing HEA. For the same reason I won't watch a movie that I know will make me cry, (with the exception of Steel Magnolias) I will never write a book without a HEA. There might be a few twists and turns, a cliffhanger or two. But ultimately my stories will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. For me, reading is entertainment, a way to escape this crazy insane world. If a book leaves me feeling sad, mad or gut wrenched, it is not for me. There is enough gut-wrenching sadness in this world, I don't need to read about it too. 

I started writing 3 years ago, and have no plans on stopping. So keep your eye on me because with the help of some amazing people and my wonderful fans, this girl is going to be on the New York Times best selling list someday.


Book Release Blitz: Broken Lights by Dianna Hardy


Title: Broken Lights
Series: None. Standalone
Author: Dianna Hardy
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Fiction




Norman Smithson is at the end of the line. His wife left him, women don't look at him, he was made redundant, and at forty, he could be just that little bit slimmer. He would be a has-been if he'd ever been a 'was' in the first place. He's not the Alpha male of the 21st century – or of any century. He was the chubby oddball who used to sit silently at the back of the class so he wouldn't get picked on.

Rosa is a dreadlocked, tattooed and pierced twenty-something, who uses her image as armour to keep everyone away from every broken thing about her. But her past is about to catch up with her ... at the exact moment Norman finds himself in completely the wrong place, at the worst possible time.

One gunshot, one scramble for life, one unlikely couple, one very long night ... can one damaged woman and one ordinary man, find the extraordinary in the very last second they're given?

Broken Lights is a standalone story of what's really worth fighting for, when one second is all you have left.









Dianna Hardy is the international bestselling author of The Witching Pen series and the Eye Of The Storm series. She combines a titillating mix of contemporary and paranormal romance into her writing, as well as urban and dark fantasy, to bring you stories that are action-packed, fast- paced and not short of heat, with the focus on both character development and the plot. She writes full-length novels and short fiction.

She currently lives in Surrey (United Kingdom) with her partner and their daughter, where she writes full-time.

Saturday 20 December 2014

Book Review and Guest Post: Broken Lights by Dianna Hardy


Book Title: Broken Lights
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 117
Author: Dianna Hardy
Date Published: 16 December 2014

Synopsis:

What's really worth fighting for, when one second is all you have left?


Norman Smithson is at the end of the line. His wife left him, women don't look at him, he was made redundant, and at forty, he could be just that little bit slimmer. He would be a has-been if he'd ever been a 'was' in the first place. He's not the Alpha male of the 21st century – or of any century. He was the chubby oddball who used to sit silently at the back of the class so he wouldn't get picked on.

Rosa is a dreadlocked, tattooed and pierced twenty-something, who uses her image as armour to keep everyone away from every broken thing about her. But her past is about to catch up with her ... at the exact moment Norman finds himself in completely the wrong place, at the worst possible time.

One gunshot, one scramble for life, one unlikely couple, one very long night ... can one damaged woman and one ordinary man, find the extraordinary in the very last second they're given?

Broken Lights is a standalone story of what's really worth fighting for, when one second is all you have left.

NOTES: This is a novella at just under 40,000 words, packed with emotion and heat. Contains strong language. Written in British English.




Review:



Broken Lights

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic, dark and gritty contemporary romance, which happens to be a short novel or novella. I absolutely loved it.

Norman Smithson is a fantastic character, although he doesn't see himself in that way. He sees himself as a nobody. However, I didn't see him in that light at all. He has something special in his character which I found charming and appealing. He is steady and dependable, and is genuinely a nice man, who has had a really bad run of luck - he's been made redundant and finds out that his wife has been cheating on him. But, one moment of danger will change his life forever.

Rosa is also a wonderful character. I liked her spunk and determination. She is a waitress in a bar and has not had an easy life; she has been trapped in an abusive situation. When a stranger rescues her from her abuser, will she find her "happily ever after"?

I downloaded a copy of this book as soon as it was released and started to read it as soon as I could. I didn't put it down until I had finished it; I was hooked from the first page!

The story is told from both Norman's and Rosa's points of view, although Norman seems to be the main character. The characters are very lifelike and the situations they find themselves in are quite realistic. The descriptions of the events and situations brought the story to life and I could picture them with ease.

I could relate somewhat to Norman's character; his feelings of inadequacy and impotent rage at the hand that life had dealt him struck a chord in me. However, I have never really been in the same situations as he, so I cannot say whether or not I would have reacted in the same way. I really enjoyed the first scene, where Norman is made redundant. I know that the scene where he was made redundant is not really meant to be comical, or even enjoyable, but it was the juxtaposition of the seriousness of the situation and Norman's thoughts which I found really entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I could feel my heart wrench when his life gets turned upside down, but the way it was written lightened the darkness of the moment wonderfully.

The danger Rosa faces in the alleyway is something that a lot of women who are abused are aware of - they live it every day. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a "Norman" rescue them though, and many end up dead or worse, hooked on drugs and still living in Hell. What surprised me about Rosa's character is that, although she has been living in her own Hell, she still manages to keep her independent and stubborn streak; she is a fighter and a strong survivor. I found myself in awe of her strength of character as she tries to survive one day at a time.

The two main characters both have broken lives, but when they come together and begin to get to know each other, they make each other whole. This story is about loss, hope, love, and finding that one special someone who is worth fighting for. What I love about this story is that these two characters actually rescue each other. It has been a privilege to journey with them as they try to fix their shattered lives.

Dianna Hardy has written a fantastic story that touched me deeply.I loved her fast paced writing style and the flow of the story was wonderful. I love reading this author's books, whether in the contemporary or paranormal genres; she has a way of weaving a story together which makes it not only believable, but extremely entertaining. She is one of my favourite authors and I can't wait to read more of her books in the future.

Due to scenes of physical abuse and a sensual scene which is a little on the explicit side, I do not recommend this book to younger readers or those of a nervous disposition. I do, however, highly recommend this book as a MUST READ if you love dark, gritty contemporary or new adult romances. - Lynn Worton


Guest post, by Dianna Hardy:
The inspiration behind Rosa

In a town I used to live in, there was a young, blonde, blue-eyed, homeless woman who looked to be in her late teens or early twenties, who could often be found under a bridge reading a book. I almost never saw her ask for money, even though she always had a tin out. I remember her in a woolly hat and fingerless gloves, reading. Always reading.

When I went into Sainsburys, I used to get those 'buy one, get one free' offers they sometimes do on Clementines, and I would give her the free bag of the fruit - I wouldn't have gotten through two bags myself anyway.

She always smiled and said thank you, accepting them happily and sharing them out with her friends, or whoever she was hanging out with at the time. She often wore a smile, and her eyes sparked with intelligence. I did wonder more than once why she was homeless, and what the circumstances were that had led her to that point, but I have never been one for forward conversation, so my questions remained unanswered.

What I remember the most about her though, is her reading. I wondered if she really, truly loved to read, or – more cynically – if it was an act that encouraged more pennies into her tin, after all, people don't like to be asked for money, but will give if they see something worthy of giving.

My romantic self wanted to believe – still believes – that she simply loved to read.

When I wrote Rosa in Broken Lights, it was these memories of this girl that inspired her character.

~*~


Broken Lights

What's really worth fighting for, when one second is all you have left?

Norman Smithson is at the end of the line. His wife left him, women don't look at him, he was made redundant, and at forty, he could be just that little bit slimmer. He would be a has-been if he'd ever been a 'was' in the first place. He's not the Alpha male of the 21st century – or of any century. He was the chubby oddball who used to sit silently at the back of the class so he wouldn't get picked on.

Rosa is a dreadlocked, tattooed and pierced twenty-something, who uses her image as armour to keep everyone away from every broken thing about her. But her past is about to catch up with her ... at the exact moment Norman finds himself in completely the wrong place, at the worst possible time.

One gunshot, one scramble for life, one unlikely couple, one very long night ... can one damaged woman and one ordinary man, find the extraordinary in the very last second they're given?

Broken Lights is a standalone story of what's really worth fighting for, when one second is all you have left.

NOTES: This is a novella at just under 40,000 words, packed with emotion and heat. Contains strong language. Written in British English.

You can buy Broken Lights right now at the following places:



~*~

About the Author



Dianna Hardy is the international bestselling author of The Witching Pen series and the Eye Of The Storm series. She combines a titillating mix of contemporary and paranormal romance in to her writing, as well as urban and dark fantasy, to bring you stories that are action-packed, fast- paced and not short of heat, with the focus on both character development and the plot. She writes full-length novels and short fiction.

She lives in Surrey, UK, with her partner and their daughter, where she writes full time.

Official Website: http://www.diannahardy.com


Friday 19 December 2014

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Hawthorne's Calm (Oceans #3) by M.A. DeOlmos




Today, I am pleased to be a part of the Book Blitz and Giveaway for M.A. DeOlmos's latest and third book in her Oceans Series, Hawthorne's Calm.  Please read the excerpt and enter the giveaway below:



Title: Hawthorne's Calm
Series: Oceans #3
Author: M.A. DeOlmos
Publisher: Lock & Key Publications
 Release Date: December 1, 2014


Warning!

The highly anticipated trio is back just in time for the holidays! Engross yourself this holiday season with the gorgeous Hawthorne men. Go ahead. You deserve to treat yourself to some holiday cheer & a new meaning of Fa-La-La-La-La!


Synopsis


For some, life has a grand and beautifully wicked way of handing out life's lessons. Ocean and Lawrence Hawthorne can attest to this until they've run themselves to the ground. Yet somehow, within those lessons that leaves them emotionally battered and scarred, comes the birth of new hope. New life. 

Ocean Hawthorne is a man of action and principal. His past drug addiction and healing wounds of causing his twin sister's death has and still continues to shape him into the fierce fighter he's become outside the MMA cages. Life has been cruel to him, yet it still managed to give him the one person who gives his lungs the sole reason to keep breathing…Livie Acosta. 

Livie has been through the worst of the worst. She lost her mother to suicide, followed by her father, who was also her best friend, in an unexpected death; which only led to her own suicide attempt. She has fought all her life. Lost a lot of those battles, yet still manages to keep her head above the turbulent rising waters with her feet planted on the ground. She is growing into her own person while becoming a firm and steady anchor within the Hawthorne family. She will soon learn what it is like to be completely selfless and will be driven more than ever to rise above the demons who have haunted her all of her life. There is one thing that she will have to face head on whether she is prepared to or not. As a Hawthorne, she has no other option but to fight and conquer!

Lawrence Hawthorne has been the glue within the razor edged pieces of hearts his family is still trying to piece together. He's never met a challenge he couldn't overcome, test he couldn’t surpass, or women he couldn't protect. Livie his Sunshine was the first stranger to flip his world upside down in all the right ways, and now he has the beautiful and witty Dulce on his arm to keep him on his toes. He still has a lot to learn about his soul mate's past. Even though he is a powerful force of determination and love, he finds himself in a bind when his guilt over Dulce's past begins to tear away at his heart.

Together this new family will have to conquer the worst. Ocean will have to grow wiser in patience, Livie will have to come to terms with her mother's intuition, Lawrence will have to let the past be exactly that...the past...as Dulce will finally have to let someone in.

Will these fierce souls find the strength within each other to find the calm after the storm or will they continue to repeat their pasts, once again?






Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK / CA




Also Available


#1 Oceans Collide

AMAZON US / UK / CA



#2 Oceans Submerged

AMAZON US / UK / CA







Excerpt

Livie

I find myself standing next to a man that just seconds ago was the happiest I’ve seen since… well actually, I’ve never seen him this happy. Moments ago, Ocean was showing me a side of him that instantly made me fall in love with him all over again. However, right now-within seconds-that same man has become a ticking time bomb—scratch that he's more like a unhinged hand grenade with less than one second to cause mayhem!
Immediately, Law arrives at the door after my initial set of screams for him to hurry his ass up and help me. Moving quickly and without hesitation, he takes a hold of Ocean’s arms and locks them behind his back.
Looking at Law, I see the shock and sprinkle of hate playing on his handsomely cool features and it further confirms to me that the arrival of Ocean’s mother-pregnant mother at that-is not a good omen for the days, weeks, or months to come.
The curious minds of our morning guests start trickling in, hovering around us at the front door. Finally, someone speaks. It’s Ocean, of course, more than ready to go 300Z Gerard Butler style on his own mother.
“Who the hell told her to show up!?” Ocean flings Law off him in one violent ripple of his shoulders. He spins around to face the crowd behind him.
I look at the woman still standing in the not so safe zone as she stares at the tight and rigid back of her son. A son that is in so much pain he cannot stand to look at her.
“Dad!” He roars out as his father comes forth.
“Yes son.” His father answers calmly, knowing better than all of us in the crowded foyer that this is an extremely dangerous situation.
The pain in his father’s eyes at the sight of a woman he once loved-and honestly probably still loves-is breaking my heart with each passing second.
“Did you tell her? How does she know? HOW. THE. FUCK. IS. SHE. HERE?!”
A shaky voice responds and it’s from no one standing on our side of the door.
“Ocean, son. No one invited me. I looked you up. I wanted to—to--”
“To what Sabrina! You wanted to show up on the happiest day of my fucking life and ruin it to hell? Is that what you wanted to do? Mission-a-fucking-complished!”
As he spoke to her with his back turned she winced at his hateful words, but I couldn’t blame him for it. I don’t think anyone could right now. Ocean was hurt and broken beyond repair when it came to his mother.
He forever blamed himself for what happened to his sister. He has the guilt of having killed her in that terrible bike accident engrained into his soul. He loved Stormie-his beautiful twin sister-with his whole heart. When he needed his mother the most after her death, she just up and walked away.
I would be beyond pissed too if she showed up today like this...which she just did. I push away the resurfacing thoughts of my mother’s demise before I allowed my own emotions of guilt and abandonment to resurface and cause me to react out of my own emotional torments. When I look away from Sabrina, my eyes too easily found the wet shiny pieces of glass on the tile floor in front of me.
Immediately, they held my eyes captive. The demons inside of me start rearing their ugly heads trying to find a broken link in my still-wounded and slowly healing armor. I was stupid for thinking they had left me, that I had won.
Apparently they’d only taken a fucking vacation! The bastards were just giving me a break. Layla and Dulce found their way to me taking each one of my hands in theirs. Damn… did my face look that twisted they recognized my rising fear too?
“Ocean. I know you’re mad at me and hate me, but I am still you’re mother.”
Uh-oh! Wrong thing to say Sabrina.
Ocean spins around this time to face his mother.
She did not shrink under his hateful glare, stupid woman. “Ocean. I am still your mother. I came here to find you so you could meet your sister when she’s born.”
Time stops as well as Ocean’s breathing and probably his heart. He sways on his feet and I release my hands from Layla and Dulce to support him. He grabs onto me desperately as his body and mind fight against each other to steady himself.
I feel like slapping the shit out of this woman. How dare she say some shit like that? I look up at his face needing to see what's there. His eyes are locked on his mother’s stomach. She looked about ready to pop any moment now.
“I’m having her here in Dunlap, Ocean. Her name is going to be Stormie.”
All hell breaks loose inside of Ocean. He pushes me back towards Law, lunging forward toward the woman screaming at the top of his lungs.
Thank god Santi, Trevor, and Joseph were close enough because if not, they wouldn’t have been able to stop him in time from strangling his own mother.
As tempting as it is to let him have at her, it just isn't right. Pffft, almost isn't right.
“YOU CAN’T REPLACE STORMIE! SHE’S DEAD! STORMIE’S DEAD! I FUCKING KILLED HER, YOU STUPID BITCH!” Ocean repeats this chant over and over as it takes three huge men and all of their muscles-and I mean all of their muscles-to hold him down.
I personally had enough of this show for today. Our happiness was now tainted by this selfish bitch standing in front of all of us in all her fucked up, pregnant and shameful glory.
Ocean is dragged away from me like a two year old having the temper tantrum of the millennium back into the living room.
I step forward grabbing the door facing off with Ocean's mother. “Listen, your bright idea to show up after being ghost for so long… not such a bright idea. I don’t suggest you ever try doing this again. Ocean is a great man, cousin, friend, soon to be husband, and a great son…but he is not your son anymore. Please don’t come back here because next time it’ll be me gunning for your throat for the pain you’ve caused him, not Ocean.”
I close the door lightly in her face even though I want nothing more than to slam it shut. The only thing that keeps me from doing just that is her extremely pregnant belly.
Subconsciously, I was seeing my mom standing there with AJ in her belly in the once upon a time good memory bank my brain was still desperately holding onto.
Layla touches my arm, bringing me back to my reality. “Thank you for doing that. I was afraid of hitting her myself, pregnant or not.” She laughs lightly at her comment as if she was joking to lighten up the tension but I know the threat was real.
I understood though, I too wanted to cause that woman as much pain physically as she was causing her beautiful son, my Ocean, emotionally.
I smile at her, feeling the pain I know she feels as well. Walking back into the living room together where moments ago, everyone was shedding tears of joy.
Ocean was on the floor pounding his fists into the tile as if the porcelain tiles were the cause of all his life’s pain.
“No!” I rush over to him, shoving my way through Law who briefly tries to block me. Dulce tugs at his arm just in time helping me move his solid ass out of my way. My body crashes onto the floor in front of Ocean before I know it.
Ignoring the sharp stabs of pain my knees are tingling with, I grab both of his hands to stop him from breaking all of his knuckles or worse. I pull his hands up to my lips kissing each knuckle that are already turning red and bruised.
He slowly lifts his head as tears and ferocious sobs pour out of his heavenly lips. I shuffle closer to him on my knees pulling his arms around my waist. If I could climb on top of him I would, but too many people were here.                                                                               
“Ocean baby, this is still our day. Remember this?” I flash him the beautiful promise ring he put on my finger. “That means we get through this together. I am not leaving you. This is Livie and Ocean’s day. We can do or go wherever you want, just me and you baby. We go big together or we don’t do this at all. Will you take me? Will you take us away to start our new promised lives together? I need you to Ocean. Please.”
I place one of his hands on my chest so he can feel my heart beating for him. His tortured eyes roam over my face resting on my lips, then his head cocks to the side as he continues to study my face. Not knowing how else to reach him I cover his warm and badly bruising hand pressing it harder on my chest.
“You still w—want this? You still want me?”
I roll my eyes at him in exaggeration expecting him to have said something much more intelligent than that. “Ocean. For a twenty seven year old man, you’re ridiculously stupid. I love you Ocean Grant Hawthorne. L-O-V-to the fucking E you! Get your ass up and make this day about us. Now!”
I don’t know why I’m yelling or cursing but he responds to it. Grabbing my face as if I’m an apparition about to disappear any moment, he kisses me hard. So hard it hurts my lips, but I take his anger, his passion, and his hate.
I absorb it all for him because we drown together; that’s our rule. I wipe his tears away with my hands kissing his face dry with my newly aching lips.
He places his hands on my hips, guiding us both off the floor and pulls me tightly into him again. “You got it baby, let’s go.”
Ocean holds out his hand to Law who tosses him a set of keys. He quietly guides me out the front door of our home without saying a word or making eye contact with anyone.
As we walk down the stairs to his Range Rover, I pray.
 
Os Jesus Cristo dao-me por favor a forca para sobreviver a este mar aberto, nos estae afogandose Amen. (Jesus Christ, please give me the strength to survive this open sea, we are drowning, Amen)






Author Bio

My name is Melissa De Olmos, it's quite a mouth-full but that's me. I live in the sunny, tropical and extremely too tranquil city of Palm Bay, Florida with my two lovely crazies’ ages six and three. I could say that writing novels has been a passion that I've always pursued but I can't. Writing for me has always been my own secret escape into a land of wonders, opportunities, timeless loves and so much trouble that I sometimes wonder if I need medication for the stories that pop into my head. I am in love--no-- I am obsessed with everything mystical, fantasy, true to a reader’s heart, and fiction. It has been an enormous pleasure and indescribable experience sharing my Oceans Series with the world and I cannot wait to fill this world with more crazy for you awesome people to devour.
 


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