Being Me by Tricia Copeland (5 stars)

Title: Being Me

Series: Being Me Volume 4 

Author: Tricia Copeland

Genre: Clean New Adult

Release Date: September 20, 2016

“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.”-The Great Gatsby

In attempt to manage her rage and shame after a violent assault, Amanda loses touch with reality. Her spiraling physical state forces her to act or die. To face her demons, she must revisit the emotions she ran from in the first place. Still unsure of what life she wants, but determined to pick up the pieces, she seeks out the right path. Can she mend broken bonds with her friends and family? 

Will her epic love survive? 

Find out in this roller coaster finale of the Being Me series.

REVIEW

Amanda is forced to face her demons after months of walking the edge of keeping it together. To do so, she has to accept some things she can't change and walk away from relationships she holds dear. When someone breaks, you really see the depth of their character. This is especially true for Amanda. And I love a strong female spirit, one that doesn't take the easy way out. And there's nothing easy about Amanda's breaking point and resulting backlash.

All the supporting characters--Doug, Zack, friends, parents, sisters--play a part in Amanda rebuilding her life, and not all of them in the way I thought they would. And as much as a reader might love a main character, it's all the supporting ones that make the whole experience truly memorable. But, in the end, it's about Amanda trusting her own instincts and standing strong without a crutch. 

And let's face it... the final book in the series is what you walk away with, the lasting impression. And Tricia Copeland makes everything worthwhile. Although Amanda's journey has been rocky, it's worth every moment in this satisfying conclusion.

If you are a reader who wants a whole series out before you start, take the time now to invest in Being Me. You'll appreciate the journey.

RATING: 5 Stars

Reviews for the rest of the series:

Think You Know Me (Book 3)

If I Could Fly (Book 2)

Is This Me? (Book 1)

Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia and now lives in Colorado with her family and multiple four legged and finned friends. Her new adult Being Me series includes, Is This Me?, If I Could Fly, Thinking You Know Me, and the final installment, Being Me. Drops of Sunshine, released in July 2016, is her first young adult and paranormal book. If she’s not on a trail, you can find Tricia at www.triciacopeland.com or on your favorite social media.

 

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Note: I worked as Editor on this novel through Indie Books Gone Wild. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Always Room for Cupcakes by Bethany Lopez Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Today we are celebrating the cover reveal of ALWAYS ROOM FOR CUPCAKES by Bethany Lopez. This book is a romantic comedy/suspense title that will be released on February 2nd. Check out the cover, blurb, and giveaway below. This book is currently up for pre-order now so go grab your copy!

   

ALWAYS ROOM FOR CUPCAKES Synopsis:

One day I was be-bopping along jamming to the music in my head while wondering if my thighs could handle grabbing a cupcake on the way home. The next thing I knew, my entire world crashed and burned. I used to wake up at night in a sweat, crying because I’d dreamt that my husband was cheating on me, or that he hated me, and resented my kids. He’d always hold me close and tell me it was all just a dream, that he loved me and our family and that he’d never let me go. He was a f*cking liar. Now I spend my days taking photos of scum just like him, trying to be a champion for other's being taken advantage of by the losers in our town, and my nights being a single mom to my beautiful twins. I've got great friends who have my back, and a sexy, mysterious motorcycle man who keeps showing up when I need him. Maybe things are starting to look up, and one thing's for sure... There's always room for cupcakes.

   

Special Pre-order/Release Week Price is $2.99

Pre-order Links:

Amazon | iBooks | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

 

EXCERPT: “Who the f*ck are you?” I whipped my head up as I was shoving the camera back in my purse, and saw a strange man standing by a rehabbed old Camaro, smoking a cigarette. “Uh … a friend of Clarice’s. I was just using the bathroom,” I managed, not sure who the guy was, or what my next move should be. “Yeah?” he asked, throwing his cigarette to the ground and taking a step toward me. “You need a camera to do that?” Shit. Before he could make another move, I secured my bag on my shoulder, turned and took off like a shot. I hit Main Street, cursing myself for wearing the damn boots when the sound of a motorcycle pulling up along side of me caused me to turn my head. My first thought was, where the hell did the bike come from? Then I realized it wasn’t the slimy guy from behind the salon. The bike came to a stop and the most dangerously beautiful man I’d ever seen rumbled, “Get your sweet ass on the bike.” Huh? I stood there for a moment, wondering what in the hell was happening, if I should get on this strange man’s bike, and if I was offended or flattered by his sweet ass comment. “Darlin’,” he prodded. I turned my head to look behind me, and saw the slimy guy standing at the side of Clarice’s, and made a quick decision to accept … his offer of a ride, and the compliment. So, I swung my leg up and over the bike, settled my front to his back, and curled my arms around the thick bulk of his muscled body. Tingling head to toe from the adrenaline, and the close contact with a seriously hot man, I couldn’t stop my lips from spreading into a grin as we took off down Main Street.

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Sign up for my Newsletter for more information about my writing: http://eepurl.com/Rcmrn Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She's a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers. Bethany Lopez is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

If I Could Fly by Tricia Copeland (4.5 stars)

About If I Could Fly

Amanda's happily ever after is beginning, but her parents think she’s abandoned her friends, goals, even morals to be with Doug. The assessment is ludicrous, but Amanda can’t convince them otherwise. Their disapproval undermines her self-confidence and she is determined to prove them wrong. To make things worse, Doug has a huge roadblock thrown in his path. Amanda isn’t able to talk about the situation with anyone except Zack, her ex-boyfriend. 

Can she endure the strain of keeping Doug’s secret? Can her already fragile psyche survive a whole summer with parents who condemn everything she does? 

Amanda begins to doubt she can, and there’s no castle, no fairy godmother, no magic wand to rescue her.

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Book 1, Is this Me? Purchase link

Review

This is the second book in the Being Me series. I do recommend reading them in order for the full experience. 

Amanda's been through a lot, and just as she thinks she's landed the guy, everything changes. Secrets place a heavy burden on her blossoming relationship with Doug, and as if that weren't enough, her family life is crumbling. Mom and Dad don't want to see their daughter be pulled under by the drama, but they don't know the whole picture.

All the pressure is only worsening Amanda's already fragile state. She believes in Doug and their love, but outside forces are pushing... and pushing hard. Can they survive the drama? Even more concerning, will Amanda lose herself in the process?

Amanda is a character you want to root for; she gives her heart to whatever she does and believes in love. There's a richness to her emotions and her struggle to dig deep when everyone around her has an opinion on her life. At eighteen, she's facing major life choices and emotional dilemmas. And although she's a fighter, she can only take so much. 

I love that she has close friends, although one includes her ex-boyfriend, who at times I thought might be better for her. With how the book ended, there's still no clear path, and I liked that too. Life isn't easy.

If you love a good contemporary romance (that's not erotica-light) with great characters, check this one out.

Rating: 4.5 stars

About Tricia Copeland

Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia but now lives outside the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado with her husband, three kids, and multiple four legged and finned friends. An avid runner and paranormal fan, she also enjoys hiking, trivia, and Scrabble. 

You can connect with Tricia and other readers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and on her website, www.triciacopeland.com.

Note: I was the Editor on this book through Indie Books Gone Wild. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

*****

And Happy Release Day!

Touch Me Not by Apryl Baker Cover Reveal

TOUCH ME NOT, a New Adult Romance by USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Apryl Baker, releases this September through Limitless Publishing!

 ✰ ✰ SYNOPSIS ✰ ✰

A past tragedy has left Lily James burdened with a devastating secret…

Since the death of her twin sister, Lily can’t bear to be touched. Not accidentally, not casually…and certainly not intimately. This makes it impossible for her to confess to her best friend Adam Roberts that she’s in love with him. She can’t give him the sort of relationship he needs, so she watches in silence while he plans his wedding with someone else.

Enter Nikoli Kinkaid, the campus manwhore…

Nikoli is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of women, and he wants to add Lily to his list of conquests, but she wants nothing to do with him—until he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He’ll teach her to enjoy human contact again, giving her a chance to win over Adam, while Nikoli uses all his considerable charm to seduce her.

But Lily raises the stakes…

Lily loves cars. Her late father was a racer, and she grew up under the hood of a car and on the racetrack. Nikoli has a limited edition 1970 Plymouth Barracuda she covets, so she informs him the terms of their deal also require he not sleep with anyone for six months. If he does, she’ll win the car. If she surrenders and ends up in his bed, his beloved ’Cuda is his to keep.

In an intricate dance of control and surrender, a reluctant friendship becomes something more. Lily begins to crave things she never believed she could, and Nikoli realizes there is more at stake than his reputation.

If Lily overcomes her phobia, will she crave Adam’s touch as she’s starting to crave Nikoli’s? 

Or will she only find pleasure from the touch of a semi-reformed manwhore?

 ✰ GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26131858-touch-me-not

 ✰ ✰ ✰ MEET THE AUTHOR: 
APRYL BAKER  ✰ ✰ ✰

So who am I? Well, I’m the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn’t love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep.

Growing up in a small town, I learned a lot of values and morals, I also learned parents have spies everywhere and there’s always someone to tell your mama you were seen kissing a particular boy on a particular day just a little too long. So when you get grounded, what is there left to do? Read! My Aunt Jo gave me my first real romance novel. It was a romance titled “Lord Margrave’s Deception.” I remember it fondly. But I also learned I had a deep and abiding love of mysteries and anything paranormal. As I grew up, I started to write just that and would entertain my friends with stories featuring them as main characters.

Now, I live Huntersville, NC where I entertain my niece and nephew and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce…lol.

I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories.

LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/apryl-baker/ 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authorAprylBaker

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AprylBaker

BLOG: http://mycrazzycorner.blogspot.com/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5173683.Apryl_Baker