Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: A Beautiful Distraction by Kelsie Leverich

I loved Feel the Rush so I was thrilled to be part of the Blog Tour for A Beautiful Distraction. Kelsie Leverich is quickly becoming a favorite author! As part of my tour stop I have my review and a giveaway, so be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for a chance to enter and win.

A Beautiful Distraction (Hard Feelings #3) by Kelsie Leverich

Publication Date: May 6th by NAL Trade

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

A brand new novel in the New York Times bestselling Hard Feelings series—where nothing’s more dangerous than a bad boy with a broken heart…

First Sergeant Rafe Murano did everything to the extreme. He trained harder, he fought harder, and, unfortunately, he loved harder. And falling for the wrong woman nearly destroyed him.

Home from a deployment, and without his missions to consume him, Murano is ravaged by memories of his heartbreak. So he drinks until he’s numb and drowns himself in meaningless one-night stands. But they only take the edge off…

Until he meets Fallon.

Haunted by her past, Fallon Kelly knows all too well about the desperate desire for an escape. So when she sees the tatted-up bad boy who’s one punch away from a ride in the back of a squad car, she offers a distraction—one that quickly becomes an addiction.

Little does she know, this bad boy can love so hard, it can break her…

My Thoughts:

I loved Feel the Rush (my review) so I was excited to pick up A Beautiful Distraction and it did not disappoint. Smoking hot, tender and addictive!

Rafe Murano is back home from deployment and without a mission to distract him he’s drowning his heartache in alcohol and women.  I met Rafe in the last book, and knew his heart was in a twist over a married woman. I wasn’t happy about that situation, but no one is perfect, and Rafe started up with Bridgette (the married woman) before he knew she was attached.  He regrets her and the fact that it made him “the other man”.  It’s been more than a year, still, Rafe fell hard, and so he continues in his destructive spiral until he lays eyes on Fallon.  She captivates him like no other woman; her pull draws him in like a magnet. 

“When I taste you, I’m tasting you. I’m not chasing some fucking distraction. This”—he moved his lips to hers—“is you. And goddammit, Fallon, I want you.”

Fallon is the queen of keeping people at arm’s length.  She’s felt the hurt and devastation from loving too much and losing.  Fallon has a strict set of rules concerning men and hookups, definitely not relationships, but one look at Rafe and she knows she’s in trouble.  Fallon knows she’s about to break every rule she’s made, and I loved “seeing” her do it.

Fallon had so much hurt inflicted from her family. Basically she was their show pony when she was their perfect prima ballerina, but when she got in trouble and threatened to embarrass them, she was cut off, and shoved out the door without a backward glance. Rafe’s family is unexpected to Fallon: big, loving and demonstrative and it’s easy to see how Rafe turned out to be the loving, passionate man that he is; a man who Fallon can’t help but let in and love.

Rafe is so intense and passionate when he grabs hold of love, and I just love a guy who can be so consumed by emotion and feel so deeply. 

"He's a Murano. He'll love you so fiercely you'll question every other love you've felt before him, and no other love will ever compare after him."

I was a goner over Rafe quickly in spite of my initial hesitations knowing he had an affair with a married woman.  I seriously wanted to strangle Bridgette for putting him through the ringer even though it was his fault as well. Rafe is fully over Bridgette’s manipulations once she comes back into the picture, and Fallon is clearly the only woman for him. Thankfully, Bridgette’s presence in the book is minimal.  Fallon encased her heart in ice as a protective barrier, but I was relieved that she didn’t constantly push Rafe away.  Both Rafe and Fallon seemed to recognize the vulnerability in each other and each attempted to soothe and assure the other.  Like Rafe said “she just fit”, they just fit each other.  

This romance was beautiful, emotional, seriously hot, and just completely lovely!  Kelsie Leverich has just moved to my “automatic-buy” list.

4.5 Suns

About the author:

Kelsie Leverich is the New York Times bestselling author of The Valentine’s Arrangement as well as other contemporary romance titles. Kelsie grew up in the small town of St. Joseph Illinois before getting married and following her husband from one Army post to another.  After eight years, they finally settled down in Avon, Indiana with two adorable knuckleheads that are better known as her kids.  Kelsie's life revolves around her family (to include three dogs and a cat) and most of the time, actually all of the time, it’s a crazy mess—but that’s the way she loves it!  When Kelsie’s not writing, you can usually find her snuggling on the couch with her kids and a good book or out on the lake with family and friends.  Kelsie is not a morning person, has a soft spot for animals, loves musicals, hates seafood, and thinks laundry is the source of all evil.  Represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Connect with Kelsie Leverich:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

As part of this tour we have a giveaway of 5 SIGNED copies of A Beautiful Distraction and 5 e-Copies of A Beautiful Distraction.  Simply fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

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