PLAYING PRETEND by Juliana Haygert: Blog tour + giveaway

Playing Pretend

by Juliana Haygert

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Word Count: 65,000
Release date: March 2014
Cover: Berto Designs

Summary from Goodreads:

As the Governor’s daughter, Charlotte McClain is an expert in playing pretend. High society, the men her mother shoves in her direction and a Pre-Law major are all a part of her perfect pretense. But when she pretends to be a nobody during Spring Break, she meets someone who rocks her world.

Mason Rowell knows heartbreak and Spring Break don’t mesh well, so he allows the mysterious Charlotte to seduce him. What should have been a fling, results in something deeper. After Spring Break has long since passed, he moves to Washington to pursue his graduate degree, but what he never expected to find living among the rich and pompous, was the girl who gave him the strength to change and the desire to start anew.

When the guy Charlotte can’t forget goes from a sensual memory to temptation in the flesh, her facade is put to the test. If she surrenders to his charms, she risks ruining her mother’s perfect career and master plan. Playing pretend is what Charlotte does best, but how long can she pretend she doesn't love the man who made her proud of her true self?

**A light, sexy NA Contemporary Romance**

ADD TO GOODREADS

Review:

This is a fun, flirty read with a whole lot of self-discovery. I enjoyed the fact that the story wasn't really dark and didn't tackle a heavy, stifling topic. While the stakes weren't very high, the characters in this book struggle to find themselves and really become a whole person. 

The story is told from the alternating POVs of Charlotte and Mason which works really well and provides insight into what each character is thinking about a particular scene or event. How simple things can be misconstrued and how two people who are so perfect for each other can struggle with understanding their feelings.

While the idea behind the book is not really anything novel, the author brought a special angle that managed to keep my attention and had me flipping page after page to see what was going to happen next. It was a much needed break from all the heavy and dark reads I've been making my way through lately. Certainly not one to miss. So be sure to pick up your copy of this fun love story.

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Createspace

About the Author:

New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

***GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: 

Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

REVIEW ~ Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Just One Day. Just One Year. Just One Read.

Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....

When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .

The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.


I highly anticipated Just One Year by Gayle Forman after reading its pre companion, Just One Day. It drove me insane to find out what happened to Willem and if he shared the craving that Allyson had for their happenstance to be something more permanent- like a "stain." Don't let me down Willem. Don't let me down.

J O Y was written in Willem’s POV. We were able to distinguish the mystery that made up his being and his perspective of that fateful one day and the events throughout the year until Allyson finally had found him.

'Accident - how I found her. Accident - how I lost her.’

Willem was a character I begged to be acquainted with. He made me ask so many personal questions about him while I’d read. What made up his thought process? What was he running away from? Did he even try to find Allyson? Was he confused or in denial, maybe both? Is he a player? Did he hide behind some facade? Is he scared to love someone? Thankfully, my questions were answered throughout the read. Plus answers to questions I’d never thought to have asked, that needed to be asked!

What I’ve mostly gathered about Will and his behavior was he had freedom, but elements of endearment and a nurturing that all children should have, was missing along with loss. Which, resulted to one single, challenging word. COMMITMENT

While I thoroughly enjoyed the read, I did find myself disappointed in some of Willem's actions. After all, Gayle Forman is going to give us a realistic character with suaveness and faults, right? I felt like Will continued to settle while his mind continued to race about "LuLu." It was kind of a turn off to see Willem turn to other girls when he was so hung up over another one. But I mean, in sucky reality, that's just what boys do. So many times fate seemed like it tried to steer him in the right path, only it would collide, ugh!! You’d know this and recognize these directions from the settings in book 1, how fate is certainty. He travelled to that fork in the road. He took the wrong turn, but with the help of friends, he detoured and he found the way- well actually the direction found him, 'because you find things when you aren't looking for them'. There had been so many bumps in the road along the way in this read. I almost even ripped a page!! But fate, freed Will.

I was glad that Willem had Broodje, Prateek, Kate (I liked her- girl kept it real with her reality checks—something Willem definitely needed) and friends. They were great confidants and helped him to try and locate the target - the ‘Principle of Connectivity’ can have some profound leads.

There was a flaw in my eyes in Just One Year. The end. I mean, it definitely had the closure I was hoping for, just not enough. I wish it had been elaborated more. More interaction between Willem and Allyson. I waited the whole book, actually two books, to have this dynamic rekindling moment. However, it did not by any means ruin this book for me.

It wasn’t surprising and is EXPECTED that Gayle Forman's writing bears so much sentiment and so many inspirational words. ‘

There’s a difference between losing something you knew you had and losing something you discovered you had. One is disappointment. The other is truly a loss.'

Read my review of Just One Day by Gayle Forman by clicking HERE

Find Just One Year by Gayle Forman on Goodreads

Purchase Just One Year by Gayle Forman on B&N, Amazon, Book Depository

KIMBERLY

New Cover Reveal: Undescribable and Unbearable by Shantel Tessier

Undescribable Synopsis

Samantha Hall needs a fresh start

Broken hearted and alone in a new city, Samantha begins to build a new life for herself while working as a bartender. Focusing on her new friends and rebuilding her broken life, Samantha is content.

Until she meets him – attorney by day and a cocky, foul mouth playboy by night.

All girls want Slade Long, but not one has ever been able to keep his attention for long. Having a different woman in his bed every night is how he prefers it-no emotion, no connection.

Until he meets her - an angel with the sweetest voice he has ever heard and the most enticing green eyes. Samantha makes him second guess his actions and has him wanting something he didn’t know existed. How can a man who has never been in love, be so sure? Can real love happen this fast?

Burned by her past, Samantha struggles to keep up with the overwhelming passion she feels for Slade. She knows that he will be nothing but trouble to her already fragile heart, but how long can she continue to deny the love that she feels for him?

Will Samantha let Slade prove his love is real, or will she push him away?

She thought she knew love……

He thought he never wanted love…..

Together they will show each other what they can’t live without.

Amazon & Barnes & Noble

Unbearable Synopsis

Grief. How do you survive the loss of a mother you thought didn't love you...until it was too late?

Forgiveness. How do you forgive the person who hurt you the most?

Fear. How do you survive the person who won’t let you go?

Jealousy. How can your heart continue to trust the person you thought you knew?

Betrayal. How many secrets are too many?

Lust. How can you say no, when your body screams yes?

Passion. How can you deny a love that has no boundaries?

Slade and Samantha's story continues...

Amazon & Barnes & Noble

Undescribable & Unbearable are on sale!

About the Author

Shantel is a Texas born girl who now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her high school sweetheart, and their three year old little princess. She considers herself extremely lucky to be a stay at home wife and mother. When she’s not reading or writing, she spends her time with family and friends. Find more about Shantel!
@Shantel_Tessier
www.facebook.com/pages/Shantel-Tessier-Author/408437342580536 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7086716.Shantel_Tessier