Monday, December 2, 2013

Feisty Girls Favorite Books of 2013 ~ Day 2 ~ TA Hardenbrook


Keeping secrets is easy; not falling in love is the hard part. Running away from her past Seven was bound and determined to make a new life. She moved halfway across the country to a school where she hoped to fly under the radar. What could possibly go wrong if she just kept her life quiet? 

Stone has no interest in commitment. Dating always seemed to lead to broken promises and heartbreak, keeping it simple was easier on everyone. But then in the middle of his crazy world he meets this girl, and somehow the universe aligns leaving him wanting more. How can he make her see that it’s okay to trust again; how does he combine his two lives and make both of them worthy enough to be with her?

If love is all that someone needs, then why are there so many broken souls in this world? Can one individual really make a change for the better and make peace within themselves and others? When two souls collide can they save each other?



WOW. I was drawn in to this book so quickly and I couldn't stop reading I had to finish it in one sitting. Seven is running from her past something that happened on Prom night that has left her a broken shell. Stone is a one night stand kind of guy he isn't looking for anything or anyone else to complicate his life. From the moment they meet you know this is going to be a love like none other and their lives were forever changed after that night. They both have secrets they aren't ready to share. “Let us continue to float down the river of denial together, row, row, row your boat.” The author did a wonderful job of making me fall in love with these two. There were moments were I just kept waiting for the angst to come and everything to fall apart and when it did I held my breath till the end.

“Keeping secrets was the easy part; not falling in love was where the problem lay.”

Seven has secrets that destroyed life as she knew it and just wants to hide and become a new person in a new place where no one knows what happened that night. She moves across the country to attend college to begin this new life. A piece of the past shows up on campus and Seven knows it's only a matter of time before everyone knows what she did.
Seven and her roommate Tammy attend a frat party the first night on campus where she meets Stone, Tammy's brother. Everywhere she turns there is Stone, she wants to be friends but she knows there is a connection there like she has never felt before. Will she throw it all away out of fear or will she embrace this second chance at love?

“When she walks closer I'm sure the little me came to full attention because she is stunning, wait more than stunning, she is life altering beautiful.”

Stone just wants to be left alone to find a chick to bang and forget her as soon as possible until he sees Seven on the steps of his frat house and then his whole life changes. Stone realizes pretty quick that Seven is the one & only for him. He promises that he will always be there no matter what secrets she is hiding that she can tell him and he will not walk away. When a piece of her past starts spewing the past as he saw it will Stone stay strong and keep his promise to Seven or will it be more than he can handle?

When secrets start to unfold and the angst hits will they be strong enough to fight for their love or will they walk away? I literally held my breath through the last few pages I was so scared of the ending. I won't ruin it for you, you will have to find out for yourself how it all turns out. I am really looking forward to more from this author and cannot wait to read the next book in this series which is Tammy's story.

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Carmen always had a wild streak about her while growing up in this small town. Everyone use to say her only saving grace in this world was her best friend Walker, who tried to keep the flighty girl grounded. But life was too big for her to live in this one stop light kind of town; she had dreams, and wants, that could take her anywhere but staying there. Anything was better than being stuck in the perpetuating cycle of being born, and dying, in this hell hole she called the reality of a small town girl. 

Walker was the only anchor that could hold her home, she lived for that boy. So how do you explain to someone that staying there would only suffocate the possibilities of making a better life for oneself? Running away was the only option, and leaving a piece of her heart with him, would keep her strong out in the real world; at least she hoped it would. 

After years of trying to make it on her own, struggling through life, and trying to stay clean, the only reality she sees at surviving now is going back to the place she tried so hard to break free from. Unsure if her old life is willing to accept the choices she has made, the lone thought that matters to her is hoping she still has the only man she has counted on her entire life in her corner. You can always go home, but will they be willing to take you back?



We meet Carmen and Walker during their last week of highschool. Carmen is a spunky girl wants out of the small town and Walker is the total country boy never plans on leaving their small town. The only issue with that is they both love each other and neither one want to tell the other.
Carmen leaves the small town literally hours after graduation. Walker goes though the police academy and becomes and officer in his home town.

The book goes over a course of 6 years. Alternating from Carmens point of view to Walkers. Each one moving on with their lives and each one having to deal with heartbreak.

The author did an amazing job with keeping me guessing, keeping me wanting more and making sure I have tissues when I needed them.
Walker to me is the perfect man. His country ways and manors are just down right hot and sexy. His love for Carmen never goes away. Not saying he didn’t try but end the end his heart belonged to Carmen.

Carmen herself went through so much in her 6 years away and never stopped loving Walker. When she needed him the most he came for her. He helped her recover and their love grew stronger even with her doubts that she isn’t good enough for him.

Through everything that happened with them and all the devastation Carmen and Walker showed that no matter what once you find your soul mate you will always find your way back to them and that true love can conquer all.

I give this amazing story 5 humongous stars



Carmen couldn’t wait to get out of there one red-light town and move on to Los Angeles and see her name in lights. She hated everything about her hometown. Except Walker. She knew she had to get out and that he never wanted to leave so she would have to leave him behind.

I fell in love with Walker right off. What’s not to love about a southern gentleman, even at eighteen, who loves his best friend Carmen unconditionally. He saw the real Carmen and not the persona she put on for everyone else.The closer it got to graduation, Walker started to try to distance himself to prepare for her departure. When the day came and they were finally graduates he thought he had a few days left to change her mind.

He was wrong. My first heartbreak for Walker.

Carmen finds life isn’t as easy as she thought it would be in the big city. She didn’t regret leaving her small town though she knew that soon enough she’d fulfill her dreams.

Walker proceeds on with his life after Carmen. He goes on to the Academy and joins the Sherriff’s dept. like he always wanted. He still hadn’t moved on from Carmen though.

That is until he sees a broken down car on the side of the road and he meets Sadie.

Another year passes and Carmen is finally making a name for herself. Even though it’s not quite what she wants.

Then again my heart breaks for Walker.

Over the first four years Carmen was gone so much happens in her life until ultimately her life spirals completely out of her control. She finds herself somewhere she never thought she’d be.

Almost two years later she places a call that she never thought she would.
Like the best friend that he is Walker is there for her in a heartbeat. It’s time to go home.

The author did an amazing job with this story. I was drawn in to their lives immediately and fell in love with Walker a little with every chapter. Every one needs someone in their lives they can depend on and Carmen was lucky she had that. The issues that were faced in here where very real issues and to see how it would all turn out had a huge smile on my face.

I absolutely LOVED this book and cannot wait to see what TA brings us next.

I also give Running Home 5 Humongous Stars!!!




Life Altering Beautiful http://amzn.to/IBqHpR

Running Home: http://amzn.to/1k3Z8kZ




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