Wednesday, April 9, 2014

BLOG TOUR STOP: Keep Me and Man of my Dreams by Faith Andrews

Blog Tour: Faith Andrews

KEEP ME
 

KEEP ME Synopsis
Sexy, tatted up, underwear model Marcus Grayson is every girl’s dream—or more likely worst nightmare. He’s a player, a self-proclaimed bachelor for life, and he’s got no problem living up to his man-whore status. But when his older sister’s friend comes back from the past, he may just have the chance to turn some of his adolescent fantasies into reality. 

Tessa Bradley is a self-sufficient, take-no-bull, single mother—well, now she is. Finally rid of her abusive, alcoholic ex, she’s making a new life for herself and catching up with old friends; the ones she was forced to break ties with because of her controlling husband. When she runs into Marcus, her friend Riley’s once-adorable turned smoking-hot little brother, she has no idea how he’s about to rock her world.
 My Review
OMG!  Keep Me by Faith Andrews had me from page one.  
This story follows self declared man-whore, Marcus and recently single mom, Tessa.  
Marcus...has it all.  He's got the good looks (he's a model of course), the girls (he doesn't even have to try anymore) and all the partying he wants.  But when he runs into his sister's old bff (his first crush), he starts to think that maybe having it all isn't all there is.
Tessa...is one tough chick.  Recently out of an abusive marriage, with an infant in her arms, this girl is all about remaking herself.  She's got a new job (which just so happens to be at the modeling firm where Marcus is working), she's rekindled her old friendship (with Marcus's sister Riley) and a son who adores her every action.  But when Marcus starts tempting her with things she's never had, she finds it so hard to say no.  
This book was full of emotional depth, real life issues, and redemption.  If you like your romance with a reformed bad boy, a tough heroine, and a happily ever after...you should MOST DEFINITELY read this book!!
Buy Links
*********************************************************************************************
Man of my Dreams




MAN OF MY DREAMS Synopsis

Mia Murphy may be married to the man of her dreams. But the man in her dreams is the one that got away—her high school crush.

Mia’s stuck in a rut, just like every other stay-at-home mom, and the only thing saving her from her monotonous routine is her perfect husband, Declan. He’s gorgeous, he adores her, and the man stole her heart with his sexy singing voice. Mia feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she discovers that Mr. Perfect is not Mr. Faithful. Mia is devastated. Everything she once believed about Declan and their marriage is now covered in a big cloud of doubt and regret. On impulse, she kicks the cheating bastard out, pushing them into a separation that could mean the end of the picture-perfect couple.

But when Mia receives an invitation to her high school reunion, she finds herself abandoning the present for the oh-so alluring pull of the past. Although her heart still belongs to her husband, inescapable thoughts of her crush, Noah, resurface. And ten years later, Noah isn’t afraid to make his move. When the build-up of fantasies and ‘what ifs' comes to a head, sparks fly and it’s Mia’s turn to question if her marriage is everything she wants out of life. Searching for answers, Mia dives head first into dating Noah, falling further away from her husband and closer to her old flame.

But Declan’s not giving up so easily. Mia is his one and only and he’s not about to let another man win her heart.
 Excerpt
March 10, 2007
                
We sit down at our table, smiling at the others who’ve joined us and then it’s like a scene from She’s All That. Cue slow motion, forced wind, and cheesy music.

He walks in.

At this moment I wish I shared some kind of mental telepathy with deejay Daniel. My choice of song for Noah is Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground. The sexy, velvety melody matches everything about him. That should be playing in the background as he saunters into this room, eyeing up the joint as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.

My world stops, and the sight of him makes me momentarily dizzy. He’s everything I’ve seen in all those crazy dreams. Oh my God! Those crazy dreams! My cheeks are flushed, my knees bouncing up and down uncontrollably underneath the table. I gaze down at my hands, fiddling with my damn rings again, hoping he’ll pass me by and leave me to my irrational musings.

“Well, if it isn’t the beautiful Mia Page.”

I lift my eyes to see that all strapping six foot, three inches of the sandy haired, impeccably dressed Noah Matheson have found their way over to this of all tables. And he’s using that word again.

He makes eye contact with Lisa. These two were actual friends ten years ago. They had a relationship that consisted of relevant friendship-like things. Not like the non-existent, obsessive nature of our one-sided relationship. They exchange a hug and a kiss on the cheek before he starts to pull out the empty chair. Next to me.

“Please tell me this seat isn’t already taken?”



I shake my head, giving him permission to sit. Did I mention his choice of seat is right next to me? As he does, the spicy, musky smell of his cologne travels through the air and into my nostrils, doing orgasmic things to my mind and body.

I’m back to spinning my rings, round and round. If I don’t quit now, the skin beneath them will turn raw.

Noah takes notice of my hands, gawking. “So, who’s the lucky guy? And why didn’t you call me after you broke up with that boyfriend of yours?”

It takes a minute for me to put two and two together, but then I realize he’s referring to the comment he made that night in The Room. “If you and that boyfriend of yours don’t work out, you know where to find me.” When he spoke those words all those years ago I never imagined he would hold me to them.

“Sorry, Noah, but it ended up working out.” Well, at least it was working out until a few months ago.

Noah looks stunned. “Wait. What? You married that guy?”

I nod, sheepishly. Why am I suddenly embarrassed that I married so young?

“Well, good for you and even better for him. Here I was waiting on a phone call all these years when I should have known all the good girls are always taken.”

Suddenly I feel the urge to flirt. “You know, Noah, there was a time when I was yours for the taking. I do hope you didn’t string your wife along before making her Mrs. Matheson.”

Thankfully, Lisa is too busy with the fashionably late Kristen. I don’t need her to hear this and risk the chance of it spreading its way through the grapevine.

Noah cocks his head back, laughing. The way his Adam’s apple vibrates...it makes me wish my lips had the chance to travel there once. “What? What’s so funny?”

“The ‘Mrs. Matheson’ comment. I don’t have a wife. Never even came close. I guess you can call me the ultimate bachelor. Although, if the right woman came along...things could always change.”

I want to tell him that the right woman passed him by years ago, but that wouldn’t be fair. Not to him, not to me, not to Declan. While I loved the fantasy of being with Noah, I wouldn’t exchange the idea for what the last eight years of my life had given me.

“So what have you been up to, Mia Page?”

I smirk, loving how easy it is to talk to him. “It’s Mia Murphy now. And I’ve been raising two crazy daughters for the last four years.”

His eyes go wide. “You have kids? Daughters? Oh my god, your poor husband. If they look anything like you he’s screwed.”

His comment is sweet, but…shit, why hadn’t I ever thought about that? Cara and Charlie dating is so far off it seems unthinkable. Then again, high school doesn’t seem like it happened ten years ago.

Noah tells me about where life has taken him. He owns a construction company two towns over. When he names some of the projects he’s worked on I’m impressed. I’ve seen some of them, even been in a few of them. The idea of walking through a building created by Noah’s masterful mind and creative hands has me in disbelief. He went to college on a baseball scholarship. I was sure that I’d turn on the TV one day and see him playing for the major leagues. I guess dreams change over time.

A crowd has formed on the dance floor. Rowdy classmates mouth the words to that annoying song by Chumbawamba. The one about drinking. I hated this song back then and I still hate it now. When it ends, Daniel makes an announcement about slowing things down for a while.

The beginning bars of Champagne Supernova somehow transform the luxurious Country Club into a dimly lit gymnasium. I danced with Chad Myers to this song during Homecoming. Noah waltzed around with Lila Peters. That night I wished I was Lila. I wonder if Noah wished he was Chad.

 “Wanna dance?” His hand grazes mine and for the first time all night I worry about where this flirting might lead. I remind myself that there’s no harm in a dance. It’s not like he’s asking me out on a date.

I skip the words and let my hand rest in his as he escorts me to the dance floor.

If someone had told me ten years ago that I’d be swaying to these words wrapped in the arms of Noah Matheson at our reunion I would have laughed in their face. It’s all so effortless. His hands rest casually at my hips. Mine hang relaxed around his neck. How many times had I longed for a moment like this between us when we were in school? Oh, like a million. I hate thinking it’s a little too late for my dreams to be coming true.

Together we sing along to the familiar words and I wonder about their significance. Ten years ago they had none. It was just a cool bunch of words strung together to an even cooler guitar riff.

Tonight I find weight in the lyrics. Am I a dreamer? Yes, in the literal sense, I dream—very vibrant, colorful dreams. A lot of them involve the man dancing with me. But the word ‘dreamer’ also speaks of someone’s character. A romantic, a fantasist, an idealist. Do I encompass those qualities?

I want to believe I do. My love and my marriage to Declan is not a sham. Our love has always been the center of my universe, the power that could conquer all. But after so much distance and doubt, dancing with Noah feels pretty damn right too.

Noah interrupts my thoughts with a husky whisper, “I should have done this a long time ago, Mia. I was so dumb back then. I can’t believe I let you slip away.”

His admission makes me stagger. All of a sudden I have two left feet. I can’t just let his remark slide. “Yeah, you were pretty dumb. I practically followed you around like a puppy dog waiting on you to ask me out. But you never did.”

Our song is over, but he continues to hold me in his arms, surveying me and everything I just said. “Really? I swear I had no idea. You mean to tell me if I had played my cards right and stuck my head out of my baseball cap for a damn second I could be the one taking you home tonight?”

His words shock me. Does he mean it the way I’m thinking or is he being sweet? Like take me home to screw me or take me home to our house, where we could have lived as a happy, committed couple? I clench my eyes shut, trying to figure it out.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” He nods his head in the direction of the bar. “And the guys from the team have been eyeing me since I walked in. Hopefully they’ll cut me some slack when I tell them I was catching up with the one that got away.” He winks and escorts me back to our table.

Every one of my senses is on overload from his touch, his scent, the sound of the things coming out of his perfect mouth. Ten year old regrets flood my thoughts, drowning any bit of my remaining sanity. In this moment I know what Declan felt when he let that girl from the hotel kiss him. Face to face with temptation, my love for my husband isn’t strong enough to make me turn my back on the what ifs.

“Let me toss back a drink with the team for old time’s sake. Can I bring you back anything?”


“No, I think I’m good.” I say, even though I’m far from it. There is not one ‘good’ image running through my head. In fact they are all bad. Naughty. Mischievous. Wicked.

And they’re making me brave.

“Hey, Noah?” I call out to him, stopping him in his tracks to the bar.

“What’s up?” he walks back to me and cocks his head, smirking.

Can he read me that well? Is the act as a disloyal wife giving me away? The flirting is one thing, but what I’m about to do crosses so many lines it feels criminal. I scan my surroundings to make sure no one’s watching. When I’m positive, I pull him by his collar. Closer to me.

His breath catches. His eyes widen. Our lips are inches apart. If we weren’t in a room full of gossipy people I would get it over with and kiss him right here. They could never understand what that kiss would mean. An answer to so many questions about my past. A retaliation—an eye for an eye—for what Declan did to us.

I forgo the kiss, but lick my lips for effect. “I hear there’s an after party. Will you take me?”
Noah raises an eyebrow, channeling me to focus on those smoldering green eyes. His lips curl into a satisfied smile and he speaks in a growl of a whisper. “Mia, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. I don’t want this night to end because tomorrow you go back to belonging to someone else.”

Buy Links
About Faith Andrews:

Faith Andrews lives in New York where she is happily married to her high school sweetheart. They have two beautiful daughters and a furry Yorkie son, Rocco. If she isn't listening to Mumford & Sons or busy being a Dance Mom, her nose is in a book or the laptop. She's a sucker for a happily ever after and believes her characters are out there living one somewhere.


Links:

Giveaway

No comments:

Post a Comment