Carry Me Home Release Day by Lia Riley

Hey folks! I'm so glad it's Tuesday because a new novella from the Off The Map series (one of my fave new adult series) is out today! Carry Me Home is a brilliant addition to the other three books (Upside Down, Sideswiped and Inside Out). While the previous books take place Down Under, this one is set on home turf in sunny California. 

So please take a moment to read this lovely excerpt and then enter the giveaway for your own ebook copy courtesy of Grand Central Publishing. Good luck!

~ Bel

CARRY ME HOME by Lia Riley (May 5, 2015; Forever Yours Novella; $0.99)

Love doesn't have to be perfect to be true...

Years ago, Tanner Green loved Sunny Letman. She was meant to be his first kiss, first love, firsteverything. Then their world spun upside-down and out of control. Free-spirited Sunny doesn't do commitment. Sure, guys are great for a night or a week, but shealways leaves first. That is, until professional skateboarder and town golden boy, Tanner Green, unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Despite their broken history, a fragile and undeniably electric connection still holds them together. Now Tanner has to convince Sunny that even though love isn't always perfect, it's worth sticking around for. . .

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EXCERPT:

Tanner is in the shower when I let myself inside. There’s a wooden rocking chair in the corner. I walk over, sit and close my eyes. He’s naked, soapy, skin flushed from the hot spray. I could join him. He wants me. The space between my legs throbs to the beat of my heart. What’s set in motion between us isn’t going to stop. 

I rock, straighten my backbone and focus my attentions. Imagine each breath spiraling through the open door, to the sky, leaving the atmosphere. A quiet prayer. Please. Please don’t let me fuck this up. My hands grip the rocking chair sides hard, hands that ache to touch his wet skin.

The water turns off and he’s out, rubbing a towel over his body. 

I’m going for it, can’t help myself.

I tried my best to be my own island. 

Turns out my best isn’t nearly good enough. 

The door opens and he stands, backlit in a tight white t-shirt and  pair of low slung jeans. His mop of hair is wet, slicked back from his striking face.

“Good, you’re back,” he says. “I didn’t like you out there alone.” 

“I was fine, nothing scary outside.” 

He frowns, catching my double meaning. “I decided to sleep in the back of my car.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“I don’t mind.”

Of course he doesn’t. He’d sleep on bare concrete if he thought it would be easier for me. 

“I get it.” He backs toward the door. “Tonight’s been extreme. You want space. I’ll go--”

“Stop.” I’m in the darkest corner, in this rocking chair throne, the Queen of the Shadows. There’s a great mystery at work. How can my heart be chained to this guy and still feel free?

A bead of water drops from his thick hair and falls to his shoulder. Then another. Tiny wet patches appear on his shirt each time one makes impact. The way he watches me, his gaze writes a secret poem on my skin. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he says. “Say you’re not interested and nothing will happen.”

I want to curl in a ball. Instead, I stand up.

 “Sunny,” he whispers, and it’s hard to know if he intends my name as a question or an answer. Funny, the way it sounds like both.

My lids flutter closed of their own volition as he closes the distance. He’s tall enough that when he bends, his face buries into the top of my head. He inhales as if I’m a secret flower. I wish I only ever bloomed for him. A stupid notion. This moment would be perfect if it wasn’t us. If we were other people. 

I hook my fingers into his belt loops and do an uncharacteristic fumble, aim too high and brush his stomach instead. His abdominal muscles flex and there’s my cue to explore. I can’t help but inch under the cotton, trace the thick muscles that make up his defined V-line. My nails gently cut to the top of his jeans. His groan vibrates into my skull. 

He’s slipping,  less careful with every ragged breath. His skin heats under my fingertips. There’s no choice. There’s never been with him. 

I rock into him, hard, and his mouth explodes on mine like a wet, hot grenade. He bites my lower lip and even though I’m scared, I’m not scared of him anymore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

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Sideswiped (Off The Map #2) by Lia Riley

* * * 3/4

It was only meant to last the summer . . .

Talia Stolfi has seen more than her share of loss in her twenty-one years. But then fate brought her Bran Lockhart, and her dark world was suddenly and spectacularly illuminated. So if being with Bran means leaving her colorless NorCal life for rugged and wild Australia, then that’s what she’ll do. But as much as Talia longs to give herself over completely to a new beginning, the fears of her past are still lurking in the shadows.

Bran Lockhart knows that living without the beautiful girl who stole his heart will be torment, so he’ll take whatever time with her he can. But even though she has packed up her life in California and is back in his arms for the time being, she can’t stay forever. 

And the remaining time they have together is ticking by way too fast. Though fate seems determined to tear them apart, they won’t give up without a fight—because while time may have limits, their love is infinite . . .

After a rather rough but eventually redeeming end in Upside Down, you’d think things would get easier. At least that’s what I was thinking for some reason. I was naively dreaming that Talia and Bran would somehow find a way to be together and that they’d be off in la-la-lovey-dovey land being all sickeningly new –coupley cute.  Not so much. It’s downright romantic to declare your eternal love and devotion to someone, but once in the thick of the relationship when problems arise, how devoted can you be?

Sideswiped follows Talia and Bran enjoying the newness of their relationship as reality begins to set in. Remember that Talia struggles with keeping her OCD in check and Bran has trust issues thanks to a previous girlfriend and his own parental drama. Now living together and being around each other 24/7 really draws the curtains back on their issues. They’re forced to learn to deal with those issues because turning away is not an option.  One of their biggest hurdles is communication. Either one will tend to shut down depending on the circumstance. It’s clear they love each other fiercely and their physical attraction is limitless (plenty of magic time). They just need to work out the kinks.

I had a love/hate thing going on while reading this. I loved all their silly banter and how much they were into each other. What got me upset was Bran. Because of his fear of losing Talia, he’s ready to resort to a short-sighted plan to keep her with him. He’s so consumed with this that he’s willing to give up an opportunity of a lifetime, something he’s been passionate about for some time. Talia knows this and has a hard time handling it. But he’s not the only one with dreams. She has her own and as she starts to find her footing, she begins to realize that may be she could have it all – her dream boy AND her dream calling. She’s willing to try but convincing Bran? That’s another matter entirely.  I admit that my being upset with the characters during this part of the story is simply due to the gift of hindsight on my part and a lack of it on theirs. Bran and Talia are in their early twenties and have so much to experience out in the world that I was concerned about them tying themselves to each other before fully taking flight.

Things work out in the end though not the way either of them envision. But that’s okay. By the time I was done with Sideswiped I felt renewed hope for this couple. They go through quite a bit of hardship that tests their resolve. The effect it has on each of them is interesting. For Bran, the more things feel out of control, the more stubborn and overbearing he gets. It's like he has this lasso around their relationship that tightens by the minute. Talia’s reaction is the opposite. With each new thing thrown her way, she demonstrates a growing confidence in herself and a willingness to step out of her comfort zone. So as Bran falters slightly, Talia is "finding her brave" as my kids like to say. 

I wasn't certain where things were headed while I was reading it, but I ended up liking Sideswiped even more than Upside Down. Bran and Talia had to be forced out of their bubble at some point to face their challenges head on. It's the inevitable part of growing up and I'm anxious to see how they tackle the next phase in their lives!

~ Bel

Sideswiped Blog Tour

We're so excited about Sideswiped, the second installment in the Off The Map series by Lia Riley. And to help us celebrate we have a couple of excerpts, Lia's own Top 5 list and of course, a giveaway! Why wouldn't we?  Enjoy!

~ Bel

SIDESWIPED by Lia Riley (October 7, 2014; Forever E-Book; $3.99)

Sometimes in order to find yourself, you need to venture off the map.

Talia and Bran broke all the rules and navigated dark and stormy emotional waters to be together and now that they finally seem to have found their way back to each other, the winds of change threaten to blow their love off course yet again…

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About the author

Lia Riley writes offbeat New Adult Romance. After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, she scoured the

world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments. A British literature fanatic at heart, Lia considers Mr. Darcy and Edward Rochester as her fictional boyfriends. Her very patient husband doesn't mind. Much. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

                                     Website      Facebook    Twitter    Tumblr    Goodreads

If  your top romance heroes were a dessert, what would they be?

1. Jamie Fraser (Outlander)—Scottish Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce

2. Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice)—glass of port with cheese and dried fruit

3. Mr. Knightley (Emma)—pot of hot cocoa

4. Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre)—Amaretto coffee affogato

5. Bran—dark chocolate covered caramels dipped in sea salt

Excerpt

Talia passes out hard from the travel and epic reunion sex. I’m too amped for sleep, so I lie in the dark and trace her spine. Can you love someone too much? No point being afraid, might as well jump in it with both feet. I press my mouth to her neck and she undulates, responsive even from her dreams. If miracles were real, I’d swear we were designed to fit together.

I loop my arm around her waist and hold fast, until our breathing syncs. I’m drifting off when she jerks—hard—once, twice. Her body recoils as she unleashes a lung-tearing scream.

“Talia, wake up. Come on, sweetheart, talk to me.” I clamber over her, hunching protectively. “Open your eyes. It’s Bran. I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.” I keep talking while she flays my chest like she’s drowning under ice, desperate to find a break in the surface.

“Can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I…where am…oh God. Bran.”

“I’m right here.” I cradle her while she draws another unsteady gasp. Her hair plasters her forehead in sweaty wisps.

“Give me a minute. I’ll be fine.” She pushes herself to a half-sit and sways with disorientation. “This…this happens sometimes…panic attacks or night terrors…whatever. They seem to come when I drop my guard. Or, I don’t know, maybe it’s the meds. Those pills make me feel like a toxic waste dump.”

“Have you been bad this summer?” The muscles in my neck cord. It shreds my guts to see her hurting. I’d do anything, any fucking thing, to carry her pain. I don’t fully understand the inner workings of OCD but she’s explained that for her, the condition comes in waves. Everything will be rolling along fine, more or less, and then bang—a giant squid grips her brain. She fights hard for recovery, a warrior even when she believes she’s nothing but a coward.

“No, not really.” She grinds her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I kinda danced around the edge of the rabbit hole a few times but never fell inside.”

My muscles release some tension. “Try to go back to sleep. You need the rest. Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch, okay?”

“I’m sorry to be such a psych job. It’s totally shaming.”

“Shhhhhh.”

Her chin tips down. “Can you talk to me for a little while? Get me out of my fuckball head?”

“Hey now, I got mad love for that head, Captain.” I kiss her brow, acting chill even though I’m scared. How can I get her to settle? Then it hits me. “I want to take you surfing again.”

“Mmmm, that’d be nice.”

“Picture yourself out there, in the water, on a board, under the shooting stars.”

“With sharks eyeballing me from the depths?”

“Nah, they’re all busy hunting sea lions or some bloody mischief. This is you, the sea, and the sky. A set rolls in. You can’t make out the wave. The board lifts and you feel the momentum building. There’s fear deep in your belly, sensible, because you can’t see what’s coming or where you’re going. You fight the self-protective instincts, give yourself over, and the next thing you know—you’re having the ride of your life.”

“Thank you.” She flips in my arms so we’re belly to belly. “I mean it. That was beautiful, really, really beautiful. I’m so excited to be here, for right now—to live in the moment. But it’s like I have this…this weird mental stutter. My thoughts keep skipping over the same annoying question like a scratch on vinyl: What will we do?” Tears spill from the corners of her eyes, course silently toward her chin. “My visa.”

Talia’s been granted a three-month student visa to complete her senior thesis in history. In all its benevolent generosity, the Australian government expanded her time in the country by an extra month.

Four months—the sum of our allotted time.

“They’ll make me leave.”

“Don’t believe everything you think.” I wipe her damp cheeks.

“Can you tattoo that on my forehead?”

Maybe it’s my imagination, but the brass alarm clock on the dresser clicks louder.

Another second gone.

Another second gone.

“I’m not losing you to some shithouse immigration policy, Captain. We will be all right in the end.” I’ve no idea how the hell I’m going to solve this drama but I will figure it out. “We have to hope, otherwise we’re sunk.”

She jerks with surprised laughter.

“What?”

She hiccups and covers her mouth with her hand, shoulders shaking. It takes me a second to realize she’s giggling.

“I’m funny to you right now?” This girl drives me every sort of crazy.

“I’m not laughing at you.” She works her lips together and unsuccessfully smothers the smile. “It’s—”

“Forget it.” I instinctively stiffen.

“Bran the Optimist.” She grabs my wrists, lifts my palms to her face, and plants a kiss in the center of each one. “I like this side of you.”

“Never mind. I was being dumb.”

“You were awesome.” She pecks the tip of my nose. “And for the record, I love your stupid face.”

I give her a begrudging kiss back. “I love yours too.”

Love isn’t enough of a word.

I wasted almost an entire year of my life implementing a scorched earth policy, not caring who I left burned and broken in my path.

Talia was my oasis. My salvation.

“Don’t give the visa a second thought.” I nestle her against me, rubbing her lower back in easy circles. “I’ll sort this out, I swear to you.”

Even if I don’t have the first fucking clue.

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