Title:
I
Stand Before You (Judge Me Not #1)
Author:
S.R.
Grey
Release
date: September
2013 (not set in stone yet)
Age
Group: New
Adult
Genre:
Contemporary
Romance
***Warning: contains graphic sexual situations,
drug use, some violence, and profanity***
Recommended for
ages 17+
Synopsis:
When it comes to tattooed bad boys, Chase Gartner is the real deal.
Partying, engaging in meaningless sex, getting into fights---Chase indulges in
it all during his late teen years, thus firmly solidifying his status as a
heartbreakingly gorgeous but way-too-dangerous-to-trust guy in his hometown of
Harmony Creek, Ohio. Then, following one fateful night of reckless decisions,
Chase's actions finally catch up to him and land him in prison.
Now, four years have passed and Chase finds
himself a free man. He returns to Harmony Creek, ready to pick up the pieces
and start rebuilding his shattered life.
Things are off to a promising start when he
meets Kay Stanton, a young woman with a tragic past of her own. Despite a
powerful attraction, Chase and Kay are naturally hesitant to become involved.
That's why friendship feels like the safest option. But when passions ignite
and love blossoms, a relationship that is destined and meant to be can only be
resisted for so long. When Chase and Kay finally succumb to their feelings they
realize being together feels more right and true than anything they have ever
experienced.
But their love is soon tested. Chase's wild past
still haunts and tempts him, and Kay is keeping a secret that could tear them
apart.
I Stand Before You is a journey of hope and
forgiveness, coming to terms with the past and moving forward. But mostly it's
a story of two damaged people who take a chance, open their hearts, and find
true love.
Review:
There are some
books that grab my attention right away, and I just can’t get them out of my
head. This wasn’t one of them, BUT once I got a few chapters in I was sold. I
can’t put my finger on exactly what it was that kept me from falling immediately,
but once I did, I fell hard. I am completely in love with Chase Gartner!
There is a lot of emotional baggage in this book; both from Chase and Kay. Neither one of them has had an easy life. And what I loved the most about I Stand Before You is that there is not "perfect fix" for these characters. There is nothing that completely fixes their personal situations, but their friendship is healing. And as a reader you will become completely invested in Chase and Kay's actions. I found myself rooting for each of them.
The writing in this book is great, but at times the "telling" can get a little long winded. There were a few instances where I found myself getting lost in the telling of the past, but they weren't so distracting as to make me lose interest. Once you invest yourself in Chase and Kay, you're in it for the long haul. To the very end I found myself begging the characters to "just do this" or "please, please don't do that!"
My absolute favorite aspect of this book is the phrase that the entire story revolves around.
"As I stand before you, judge me not."
Chase and Kay's relationship is based on this concept. When you read the book, you will understand just how important this phrase is and exactly what role it plays, but it's now one of my favorite book quotes.
I strongly recommend I Stand Before You. It's a fabulous read! Please be aware that this is a New Adult title with graphic language and sexual content. To me, it is not too much or over the top. This aspect is vital to the characters; however, it may be too much for readers under the age of 17 or who are uncomfortable with such topics.
About the
Author
S.R.
Grey is the author of Harbour Falls and Willow Point, first and second novels
in A Harbour Falls Mystery series. She is also the author of I Stand Before
You, first novel in the Judge Me Not series (New Adult/Contemporary Romance).
Ms. Grey resides in western Pennsylvania. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Robert Morris College, as well as an MBA from Duquesne University.
She is currently working on Wickingham Way, the third installment in A Harbour Falls Mystery series, to be released in January 2014, as well as Never Doubt Me, second novel in the Judge Me Not series.
Other interests include reading, traveling, running, and cheering for her hometown sports teams.
Author Social Media Links:
To
see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click
here or the tour button below.
Thank you for taking part in the I Stand Before You blog tour. Love your review! <3
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity! Love me some Chase! Can't wait for more!
DeleteI was very encouraged to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this special read. I definitely savored every little bit of it and I have bookmarked you to check out new stuff you post.
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