Showing posts with label a.l. jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label a.l. jackson. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Release Day Launch: Drowning to Breathe by A.L. Jackson



The danger in pretending is it becoming real…

Sebastian Stone, Sunder front man and guitarist with a rap sheet about ten miles long, escaped to Savannah, Georgia, to get away from the trouble he’d caused.

Not find more of it.

The moment he saw Shea Bentley, he saw beneath all her sweet and innocence to something that went deeper.

Darker.

Their relationship was built on secrets; their love built on lies.

Sebastian never imagined how deep her secrets went.

When the past and present collide, Sebastian and Shea find themselves fighting for a future neither believed they deserved. Their passion is consuming and their need unending.

Now, holding the truth in his hands, Sebastian is faced with sacrificing everything he’s come to love to protect Shea and his family.

Two pasts intertwined.

Two lives bound.

Will their demons drown them or will Shea and Sebastian finally learn to breathe?

Drowning to Breathe

A Bleeding Stars Novel, Book 2



EXCERPT

Lust and love fought for dominance in his expression when he tore himself away, and he slammed my door shut and ran around to his side. I didn’t hesitate to shift in my seat, my hand going to the flat, rigid planes of his abdomen as he shifted hard, tires squealing as he took to the street. I kissed at his neck and teased at his ear, fingers toying with the waistband of his jeans, while he groaned and tried to focus on the road.

“You tryin’ to kill me, Shea?”

I gasped when the car jerked and Sebastian made a sudden, sharp turn, and then another. He screeched to a stop on a deserted side street.

A fog of lust clouded my mind as I was yanked back onto his lap, my knees on either side of his legs, his needy cock grinding at the seam of my cut-off shorts as his mouth overtook mine.

Oh. God.

I moaned, fingers digging into his shoulders.

I arched up and pressed my breasts to his chest. They ached with just a glimmer of the need throbbing between my thighs.

Hot hands gripped the outside of my hips, forcing me back down on his dick that strained from his jeans.

I might have been on top, but he was definitely in control.

“Fuck, baby…what have you done to me…what have you done to me? Dying to be inside you. Have to feel you. Need you so bad.”

“You have me.”





He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?





A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Connect with A.L. 
Jackson online:www.aljacksonauthor.com

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe! 


Monday, February 23, 2015

Release Day: A Stone in the Sea by A.L. Jackson

He wanted nothing at all…

Until he found she had everything to give…

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and passion that won’t let them up for air.


Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s past that costs them everything?



EXCERPT
With a smile, I turned around, then froze when my sight registered the obscured figure leaning against the wall. A strangled gasp caught in my throat, and my heart took off at a sprint, blood pounding hard in my ears.

Pushing from the wall, he stepped from the shadows, his hands again stuffed deep in his pockets.

My heart rate only increased, the energy radiating from him almost as strong as the disappointment he’d left me with when he’d gone.

I pressed my hand to my chest to try to still the panic thundering against my ribs. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” The words were soft. “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

But he did. I was scared of what he was capable of doing to me, the way I knew he held the power to trounce all over this hammering heart, to hold it in his hand and crush it into a million unrecognizable pieces.

“What are you doing here?” I asked on a shaky breath.

He looked to the sky and exhaled heavily, before he leveled his gaze back on me. “The same thing I’m doing every night, Shea. Thinking about you and wondering why the hell I can’t stop.”

My stomach flipped, and I gulped for air.

“What do you want from me?”

He laughed, lifted his elbows out to his sides in a helpless gesture without pulling his hands free. “Dinner?”

Nonsensical laughter shot from me. “At three in the morning?”

“Breakfast?” he amended, a coy smile pulling at his full, crooked lips.

Tingles spread across my skin, and I ran my hands up my bare arms. “I already told you I don’t have time for distractions.”

“Come on, Shea. It’s just food. Go out with me. Just tonight.”

Somehow I knew it was a lie, even though he wanted to believe it was true.

Nervously, I glanced to the back door all the while being inexplicably drawn to this man I didn’t even know. I knew I should make a break for it, run for the safety of my little world and give him no opportunity to rip it apart.

“I am hungry,” I found myself saying. After a long night of work, it was true. But it had nothing to do with the reason I was giving in.

Because I just wanted to…

I shook my head.

That was it. I just wanted. I wanted to be in his space. I wanted to understand why he had this pull on me. I wanted him.

Even though I’d never allow myself to have him.

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014. 

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties anrd joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves. 





Sunday, January 18, 2015

Book Promotion: When We Collide by A.L. Jackson

When We Collide - $0.99 Sale Promotion
Sunday, January 18, 2015 to January 24, 2015
When We Collide by A.L. Jackson
Published November 2nd 2012 by Sapphire Star Publishing
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Lost to You and Take This Regret comes a gripping new tale of loss and love.

William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.

Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.

When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again.
In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.
Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.But he never imagined what that fight might cost him. 


Author Info:

Instagram: @aljacksonauthor

When We Collide Excerpt ~ Copyright 2012 A.L. Jackson

“You know him?” Amber asked.
I glimpsed the confusion on her face.
William.
My secret, my heart.
The beautiful man I’d lain with for hours under the stars, our lives poured out in a torrent of stories and words. The way he held me while I shared the ones that hurt me the most. How he touched me, the way he made me feel incredibly safe. How that hold had escalated from safety to ecstasy as the soft pads of his fingers would dance across my lips when he locked himself to me, the perfect weight of his body, the expression on his face when he came.
The heartbreak in his eyes when I told him goodbye.
I knew it all.
“Yeah.” My voice was soft. “I know him.”

Friday, August 8, 2014

Cover Reveal: When We Collide by A.L. Jackson

A.L. Jackson's When We Collide has a beautiful new cover to go along with this breathtaking story.

From the bestselling author of Pulled and Take This Regret comes a gripping new tale of loss and love.
William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.
Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.
When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again.

In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.

Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.
But he never imagined what that fight might cost him.

A.L. Jackson gives you an intimate look into the lives of a family bound by an unseen connection in this new contemporary romance.
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due out January 7, 2014.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.


Saturday, July 19, 2014

Upcoming Release: Come To Me Recklessly by A.L. Jackson

Come To Me Recklessly by A.L. Jackson
Expected Publication: April 7th 2015 by NAL
Pre-Order: Amazon US | Amazon CA
His heart was turned off…

Until she turned him on…

Christopher Moore gave up on the idea of love years ago. Now, his life is an endless string of parties and an even longer string of girls. Enjoying the physical perks with none of the emotional mess, hes convinced everyone that hes satisfied—everyone but himself.


Samantha Schultz has moved on with her life. Finishing her student teaching and living with her boyfriend, shes deluded herself into believing shes content. But there is one boy she never forgot—her first love—and she keeps the memory of him locked up tight. She will never allow any man to break her the way Christopher did.

When Christopher's sister and her family move into a new neighborhood, Christopher is completely unprepared to find Samantha living at the end of the street. Memories and unspent desires send them on collision course of sex, lies, and lust. But when guilt and fear send Samantha running, Christopher will have to fight for what has always been his.

★★$50.00 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY★★


Get all the latest updates via NEWSLETTER

If Forever Comes (Take This Regret #2), Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Come To Me Quietly Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Come to Me Softly, coming June 24, 2014

Friday, June 27, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Come to Me Softly by A.L.Jackson


Publication Date: June 24th 2014 by NAL
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comes a scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.

A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?

To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.

My Thoughts:
*******Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the first book.*******

Come to Me Softly picks up with Aleena and Jared’s reunion after three months apart when he realizes he can’t live without her and comes back.  Jared is both scared and cautiously excited about Aly’s pregnancy, but he’s is still haunted by the guilt from his past.  Jared feels he doesn’t deserve Aly or the happiness she bring, but he’s no longer willing to part with her.  So these two commit and resolve to do whatever it takes to make it work.

Aly is beyond thrilled that Jared came back, but at the back of her mind she knows that if Jared doesn’t deal with his guilt and pain they won’t ever be able to make a true go of things.  But Aly’s willing to be patient for Jared to realize that he is worthy of their happy future.

“God, Aly, what did I ever do to deserve you?”
I pressed myself to him, to his gorgeous body and the power that radiated from his spirit. That warmth covered me whole. “It doesn’t work like that.  We don’t earn love…it’s a gift we’re given.”

My heart went out to Jared both in this story and the first one, because he shouldered so much guilt and pain that he clearly didn’t deserve.  I was excited that he wised up enough to realize that he and Aly belonged together. These two were meant to be from childhood.  I wanted nothing more than for these two to have their HEA because unrequited love stories always get to me, and there were big payoffs in this installment in that regard. They are so utterly sweet together, and you just feel the intense, burning passion they have for each other.  But I knew as a reader that Jared was ticking time bomb waiting to explode.  I was happy that it wasn’t near as bad as I expected and that Jared and Aly dealt with things pretty maturely.

Come to Me Softly is beautifully written, and A.L. Jackson really can make you feel all the powerful emotions of her characters.  But here’s the tricky part, while I did really enjoy this story, I didn’t love it. I felt Jared and Aly’s inner thoughts were too repetitive.  Their feelings on each other and the battles they faced were repeated over and over and I ended up skimming parts because it was too much for me. I just wanted the story to move on.  I feel like this story could’ve been shortened by about 50-100 pages.  Still, even with that issue, my heart soared with joy for Jared and Aly by the end.


 3.5 Suns




Connect with A.L. Jackson



The publisher generously provided a Paperback copy of Come to Me Softly to one Waves of Fiction follower. Open US residents only.  Just fill the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: Come to Me Softly by A.L. Jackson

Happy Release Day to A.L Jackson as we celebrate her new book Come to Me Softly!!
CTMS Release Celebration Facebook Banner


ComeToMeSoftlyCover.Final
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comesa scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.
A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…  Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed? To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.
Trailer
*Enjoy the trailer created by the wonderful Becca the Bibliophile*


BUY YOUR COPY OF COME TO ME SOFTLY
Be sure to join us for the Come to Me Softly Read Along Party! We’re kicking off the celebration on June 24th with a ton of prizes, then the read along begins. Daily prizes all the way up to grand prize on July 2nd!
Grand Prize: Coach Bag stuff with A.L. Jackson Goodies!
Read Along Party Grand Prize

JOIN THE COME TO ME SOFTLY READ ALONG PARTY!
Join the Facebook Event

Come to Me Softly Release Celebration Giveaway!
Grand Prize: Coach Bag, Kindle Paperwhite, and A.L. Jackson Swag
Second Prize: Come to Me Quietly Custom Charm Necklace
Third Prize: A.L. Jackson Swag Pack
BUY BOOK 1 IN THE CLOSER TO YOU SERIES
come to me quietly



Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside. Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain. Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own. Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate. Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.
AboutTheAuthor
AL Jackson New Author Pic A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Pulled, When We Collide, If Forever Comes, and Come to Me Quietly. She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life. Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Look for Come to Me Softly and When We Met: Behind Her Eyes coming soon.
Instagram @aljacksonauthor Pinterest @aljacksonauthor

Friday, January 17, 2014

Review & Giveaway: Come to Me Quietly by A. L. Jackson

Come to Me Quietly (Closer to You, #1)

Publication Date: January 7th 2014 by NAL Trade
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About the book:

Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.
Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.
Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.
Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.
Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.

Arlene's Thoughts:
“Everything about him was dangerous. Just as dangerous as he was beautiful.”
Wow! Amazing story that was told in dual perspectives that were equally powerful and passionate. Come to Me Quietly is my first encounter with A.L. Jackson, and I promise it won’t be my last. From beginning to end, Aleena and Jared captured my heart and attention with their dramatic tale of redemption and love. Beautiful!! Every part… absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!

In Come to Me Quietly, Jared finds himself returning to his hometown after being gone for years because of a tragic accident that changed his life forever. Aleena and Christopher were his best friends that truly never recovered from his disappearance, so when he comes, they embrace him for what little time they know they’ll have him. Aleena has always had deep seeded feelings for Jared. He watched over her and was careful to always protect her, so when they collide after six long years of distance, they struggle with the feelings that erupt from their encounter. What begins is not only a friendship that defined both these characters, but a love that might destroy them as well.

“Her fingertips softened as they traced along the outline of my sins, as she caressed the markings of every mistake I’d ever made as if this girl somehow found some kind of beauty in them.”
Jackson’s writing is absolutely lyrical and passionate with constant reminders that her characters are flawed yet redeemable. There were multiple passages that I found myself rereading for the sheer beauty in the words. Jackson truly knows how to pen a story that captivates her readers and embraces them with her ardent narrative.

“I should never have come here. It was all too much, this place that echoed my past and thrummed with familiarity. I refused to take comfort in it. Most of all, I fought against the desire to stay.”
Come to Me Quietly is never over-dramatic, but I always felt like I was on the precipice of impending destruction. Both Aleena and Jared share a story that kept me at the edge of my seat as these two find each other after years of distance and pain. I loved how the backstory unfolded with careful grace. As each event was presented, it carefully layered itself into the folds of this intricate story of love, destruction, friendship and loss. My heart broke for Jared as he battled his demons and failed at every attempt for a new beginning. Aleena was the perfect balance of steady for this volatile character.

Overall, I loved Jackson’s style of writing and how she built her storyline with slow building passion. Aleena and Jared were perfect characters that took me on their journey of redemption and love. I can’t wait to enter the next chapters of their life in Come to Me Softly. I’m sure it will be just as riveting and captivating. Love!

5 Suns


Rachel's Thoughts:
I’m a sucker for unrequited love stories.  Something about that yearning from afar that brings a little sadness and always pulls at my heart strings. 

Jared and Christopher were neighbors and best friends from a very young age with Christopher’s little sister Aly always trailing behind.  Jared was always Aly’s hero, looking out for her and including her even when Christopher thought she was nothing but a pest. Aly’s heart never stood a chance and she fell hard and deep for Jared early on.  Sadly, tragedy struck Jared’s family and everything fell apart. 

Jared knows it’s a bad idea to come back home, but it’s an even worse one to accept Christopher’s invitation to stay at his apartment until he gets a place of his own.  Everything he touches, he destroys, and even if he didn’t Jared doesn’t feel worthy of friendship or any sort of happiness.  Add to that is the undeniable and powerful attraction he feels for Aly. She’s all grown up and gorgeous! Their childhood connection is stronger than ever, but Jared knows he must resist or he’ll risk ruining yet another life.

Aly's never moved on since Jared left, but he’s back and she’s so happy at finally having the chance to show him how she feels.  But she’s also very worried. Aly can see the pain and self-blame coming off him in waves. Jared’s a mess, and he pushes Aly away every time she gets close.

My heart ached for both Jared and Aly.  With all the self-loathing Jared is wrapped up in, I knew this wasn’t going to be and easy ride and it wasn’t.  Still, I knew Jared wouldn’t be able to resist Aly for long, because the ache and desire between these two was palpable and intense.  He wants to protect and possess Aly at the same time, but he doesn’t feel worthy. 

“You make me fucking crazy, Aly. Dangerous. It’s like all I want to do is protect you even though I know I’m going to end up hurting you. And God, it kills me to think of hurting you.”
I grasped his face between urgent hands. “Then don’t.”

Jared found a safe haven and comfort in Aly, and I just desperately wanted things to work out for them! The mystery of their tragic past was slowly revealed, and some of it I guessed, but there was an uncanny revelation near the end that surprised me!

Come to Me Quietly is a beautiful romance filled with longing and tragedy, but also with hope, joy, and passion!  A.L. Jackson’s writing skillfully stirred up strong emotions and feelings, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Aly and Jared next.

Favorite Quote:
“What do you see in me?” For a moment she just looked at me, intensity pouring from her, before she drew me down to bring us chest to chest. Her breath came as a whisper across my ear. “I see beauty and pain. Joy and sorrow. I see the good and I see the bad…and I love it all.”


A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

5 Suns






About the Author: 
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as well as other contemporary romance titles, including Pulled and When We Collide.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life. 

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.




Connect with A.L. Jackson



And now for our giveaway!  For one lucky Waves of Fiction Bloglovin follower, we are offering a paperback copy of Come to Me Quietly by A.L. Jackson. Simply follow us via Bloglovin, fill out the rafflecopter and leave a thoughtful comment for the author or about the book. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!!
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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Review: When We Collide by A.L. Jackson

When We Collide

When We Collide by A.L. Jackson
Published November 2nd 2012 by Sapphire Star Publishing
Purchased on Amazon
 
About the book:
William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.

Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.

When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again.

In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.

Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.
But he never imagined what that fight might cost him.

A.L. Jackson gives you an intimate look into the lives of a family bound by an unseen connection in this new contemporary romance.
 
My Thoughts:
 
I still can't stop thinking about this book. A very emotional, suspenseful, gut-wrenching read!

William is going through the motions of life, but he's miserable and lonely. Such an unhappy person, he's in a dead relationship with a woman he can't stand, working for her family's business. He's unfulfilled but most of all he's haunted. Haunted by dreams of a little boy and a past he ran from 6 years prior - where he had fallen in love and she had broken him. But the distance and years did nothing to help him forget her.

I'd lost myself somewhere along the way, and maybe my subconscious was telling me it was time I found that person again, because I sure as hell wasn't happy with who I'd become.

Then tragedy strikes back home and he makes the decision that it's time to go back and leave this horrible rut he's been stuck in. Knowing his family is still hurt by his abrupt departure years before - he knew it was time to face them and make amends or he would continue to live a life of misery.

He returns home and has an encounter with Maggie (and her little boy) - the woman who broke his heart and left him in ruins all of these years. When they first met 6 years ago, he was on a break from college and was at a party with his brother. She was there with her jerk of a boyfriend, who was treating her poorly. It took one look for William to fall hard for her and he was desperate to know her. Then she turned up at his parents house, after his mom had hired her to do their housekeeping. They started spending time together and sneaking off to a park to talk. It was during those times that they confided in each other and started falling in love. He was the only person she could talk to and who knew the truth about her life. And all he wanted was to save her from it. But crushing circumstances would tear them apart and make William run from his family and home in order to try to forget her.

It was everything that I wanted her to know, that it shouldn't hurt to be touched, that it was okay to be adored.

He fought for me. And I'd let him go without putting up my own fight.


Maggie has been through such a horrible ordeal in her life. Abused by her father for years, she's now in an abusive marriage with a man she hates. Out of fear for herself and her son, she's continued living this life of horror, too afraid of what would happen if she tried to leave. But now that William is back home, she starts to feel things again and sees a shadow of hope for some sort of happiness for her and her son, if she's just willing to do something about it.

William's life is completely up-ended when he sees Maggie again and it becomes his obsession to save her and make sure she's safe. This will be a huge challenge and the dangers these two face are horrific and frightening. But even after all of the years that have passed, their connection is still strong and they've never stopped loving each other.

My heart BROKE for these two. William was so sad and full of sorrow over the loss of his one true love and it was gut-wrenching. And to read the horrors that Maggie went through in her life - it was just so emotional and heartbreaking. These two deserved LOVE and happiness!

This story is told in alternating POV's, including flashbacks to their time together 6 years before. Normally I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks - but those parts of the story were so important in setting the stage for their love and the heartaches that came along with it. You had to see what these two went through to get to the place they were now - and then it made the story all the more sweeter at the end.
 
It didn't mean our lives weren't filled with hardships, that each day there wasn't a small struggle we had to overcome or a giant obstacle we had to face. It just meant it was worth it.

Under all the scars that lined my body and lined my soul, William saw me. And he loved me as much as I loved him.

I also loved William's family. They were a wonderful added bonus to the story - especially his brother, Blake.

It saddens me and breaks my heart to know this type of violence does go on in the world and it is eye opening to read a story like this, even though it is fiction. It gives perspective and makes you thankful. This book is incredibly emotional, but I highly recommend it.
 
5 Suns