Title: Awakening

Author: Elene Sallinger

Published: 11.05.13

Pages: 203

 Goodreads Rating: 3.80

My Rating: 4.0

Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis:

River Rock, Vermont, 2011. This is the story of Claire Ryan and Evan Lang. 35-year-old Claire joins a local book club for romance readers in order to get over the breakdown of her 10-year relationship, there she meets book shop owner Evan, a dominant man who has never recovered from the sudden death of his submissive wife. As their relationship develops and they embark on the path of Claire's submission, it becomes harder and harder for Evan to keep his emotional distance. Claire is open and responsive and he wants her badly, but refuses to let himself go. As Claire falls deeper in love with Evan, she realises that he is holding back and decides to end their relationship, forcing Evan to confront his own past and his feelings in order to save his new love.

My Review:

There were many aspects of this story that really intrigued me. First off in the initial scene, Claire is venturing out for the first time after over coming a heart break. The first place that she chooses to re-enter society is a book club at  a local indie book store. Slowly she is able to start developing friendships there and start picking up pieces of her broken heart.  Claire had broken up with her long term boyfriend and she felt she was to blame. Claire found herself having a need to treated roughly to be intimate. Her boyfriend after much persuasiveness gave into her need but it ended up destroying him emotionally an mentally.  Feeling that she was abnormal for having the desires she did, Claire turned to her love of books to not feel alone.

As she discovering the world of BDSM through literature, her desire for more knowledge became apparent to the book store owner Evan. But his interest in her book choices was more involved than that of a warm blooded male having a reaction to a woman reading erotica, but more to do with the fact that he was a former Dominant. Noticing her desire to learn more about the BDSM culture he starts leaaving more and more books out for her, in places he knows she will find them.  

Evan want to help Claire learn the ropes of BDSM but is scared to fall for her emotionally. Evan lost his wife and former submissive a few years back from an illness and before she died he  made a promise to not fall for anyone again. Torn between protecting Claire and keeping his promise to his ex-wife. Seeing how devoted that Evan is to his ex-wife was beaututil and I was eager to learn more about their past relationship. This was a beautiful story about second chance love and I loved reading and getting to know  about these characters.

Interview with Elene Sallinger

FUN FACTS

      

What author/story inspired you to write?

     It was my daughter who actually inspired me to write. I told her a story about a little girl who lost her ball in the woods and didn't give up until she found it. She loved the story so much, she wanted it repeated – in exact detail. I ended up writing it down and illustrating it for it. At that point, a writer was born.

  Favorite TV Show/Movie? 

       My favorite TV Show is The Walking Dead. The plotting, the writing, and the acting are all so wonderful. It's a triple threat for sure. My favorite movie is Stranger Than Fiction. I love how this is a dramatic manifestation of every writer's dilemma … what happens when the characters begin to drive the story?

   Do you have a specific room in your house or a coffee shop which you like to write in?

       I have my little corner of the living room with my desk, laptop, and writing references. If my family is watching TV, I plug in my headphones and listen to Pandora.

  If you had the choice of going back in time or going to the future, which one would you choose and why?

      Neither actually. I would go to Middle-Earth, or to the Walking Dead universe. I'd go somewhere completely different where good and evil are apparent.

What is the last book you have read that made you cry?

       One Good Dog by Susan Wilson. There is a scene involving the dog that had me bawling and cursing simultaneously.

STORY RELATED QUESTIONS 

How was the transition from writing Children’s fiction to Erotica?

Fairly seamless actually. At the center, I write about people overcoming their baggage. With my children's stories, their very much teaching stories about overcoming fear. With my erotica, it's generally the same, but for an adult audience :-).

I thoroughly enjoyed the depth and character development behind Claire and Evan. How did you come up with these two characters? Did it come to you as you were writing or did you already know their histories when you began?

Thank you so much. The answer is really both! I don't really have pre-formed characters when I decide to write a story. I'll have a premise like... “What if a woman believed she was inherently flawed and found herself gravitating to BDSM, but had no idea where to start. What would that look like?” That's how Awakening started. When I sat down to answer that question, I created detailed character sketches complete with back story all before writing a line of text.

Evan’s love for her ex-wife was just absolutely heart-wrenching. Will we ever get to see more about their past?

You're not the first to ask that! In fact, I have notes for a prequel novella in my files. I'll definitely write more about Evan and Marianne in the future.

I was very excited to see that there was a book 2 on Bridget’s life. When can we expect that book to book to be published? Will there be a book 3? Can we expect there to be more written about Claire and Evan?

Again, thank you. That book, Reflection, will be available here in the US in May of 2014. It's already available in the United Kingdom. As for book three, Unsettled, it's already been contracted as well and will be out sometime mid-2014. Claire and Evan appear in both books, but at this point I have no plans to write a dedicated sequel to their story. Anything is possible though!

                                                                   Title: Undertow

 Author: Elizabeth O’Roark

Release date: August 21^st, 2013

 Genre: New Adult, Romance

 Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours

Goodreads Rating: 4.12

My Rating: 4.5

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Description:

Maura Pierce seems to have everything – a bright future, a trust fund and a boyfriend who can’t wait to settle down.

It almost seems like enough until Nate Sullivan comes home. Nate – her childhood best friend, her first love. The boy who left without a trace one night and broke her heart.
When their attraction threatens the future she and her parents have so carefully crafted, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be uncovered.

Giving in may cost her everything. But how do you resist the only thing you’ve ever really wanted?

My Review:

This book had me smiling from page 1. We start off in the present, with Maura agreeing to spend her summer at her family's home at the beach. She hasn't been back since her childhood love broke her heart when she was a junior in high school. Throughout the book we get to see what took place during her childhood summers with Nate and watch them fall in love until the moment her heart is broken. 

We get to see the pressure that Maura is under by facing  the dilemma of following what's in her heart and what her family and her social standing expect from her. When she runs into Nate for the 1st time after not seeing him for 5 years, her heart still melts for him even after the terrible heart break. Will Maura get to the bottom of what happen that day? Will she pursue her dream of going to Law school or end up marrying the man her family expects her to? Will Maura and Nate ever be able to be friends once again?

There were many aspects of this story that I really enjoyed. Even though some aspects of the story were predictable, it still kept a smile on my face throughout the book. When I got to the climax of the book where we find out what really happened that night, my heart broke for them. All in all this was a very enjoyable book, with characters that you can support and cheer on from the get go. 

About the Author:

Elizabeth O’Roark lives in Washington, DC with her 3 children. After many years spent writing scintillating brochures about amniocentesis and heart surgery, she is thrilled to have found a job that allows her to just make s*** up.

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                                                                Title: After The Rain

Series: The Rain Trilogy #3

 Author: Karen-Anne Stewart

 Release date: October, 2013

 Genre: New Adult, Romantic Suspense

 Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours

Goodreads

AMAZON

MY REVIEW OF BOOK 1

MY REVIEW OF BOOK 2

Book Description:

Finally able to put her harrowing past to rest, Raina looks forward to her future with Kas, but the Ghost has other plans. As the FBI team gets closer to taking down the largest human trafficking ring in the modern world, the Ghost begins a wicked game, making Raina the pawn and the target. Never before encountering a worthy adversary, he's fascinated by Raina and is enjoying the refreshing challenge of her intellect.
The danger ignites to a blazing new level, and Kas struggles between the need to finally exorcise the Ghost and his need to protect his wife. Tension mounts as an internal battle wages, tormenting Kas as he watches Raina put her all into taking down the man responsible for horrific sex slavery and gruesome deaths. When a new player takes control, Jefferson orders the end of the Ghost's game with Raina, which results in one final, devastating act, leaving Kas desperate and willing to do whatever it takes to save her...by whatever means necessary.

MY REVIEW: 
After the last cliff-hanger of the 2nd book, once again I jumped into starting this one. FYI this series is so great, that I read all 3 books in just 3 days. Not a smart thing to do when you are in the last month of Nursing school, but it was just so worth it. Chris, Raina's ex boyfriend has just been paroled from jail, and is back to get Raina with a vengeance. He is not happy with the fact that Raina has moved on with Kas, and if he can't have her, than no one can. Luckily Kas is able to find Raina in time, before anything goes wrong. With the recent attack from her father, and now from Chris, all the progress Raina had made internally starts dwindling. But this time around she has a great support system that helps her recover quickly. Instead of dealing with her grief internally, she quickly dives in to work. Kas's FBI team, has been able to get some of the major players for The Ghost's ring of traffickers, but they will not stop until all the members, including the Ghost himself are caught and can pay for their actions.

This was a great ending to an amazing series. I loved going through all the emotions with the roller coaster of a ride these characters have been on. I loved seeing the happy endings, not just for Raina and Kas, but for the side characters, such as Chase. (Which btw, my heart would melt everytime he was in the scene. Who doesn't love a sexy yet quiet man, with an amazing brain.) This cast of characters are one that I will never forget and will probably re-visit many times.

Now I have to share with you a favorite passage of mine from the book. This takes place in Chase's office (Yes, I had to include Chase) after a fight between Kas and Raina ending with a happy ended (Yes, pun intended)

       "You did not just have sex in my office did you?" Chase asks incredulously, his answer evident in the scarlet flush that spreads across Raina's cheeks as her gaze drops embarrassed to the floor.
         His eyes dart to Kas, who gives him a sly smile, complete satisfaction and zero regret all over his sated face, "Kas, c'mon man, I haven't even had sex in my office yet," Chase states, his voice just above a whine. He holds his arm toward the door, his other hand ushering them out, "Go, just go. Find some other place to fornicate." he continues to chastise them as a smile curves his lips, happy that they are in each other's pants instead of each other's face for the time being. "Where should I avoid sitting?" he yells after them, laughing while Kas turns around, shrugging cockily.
       "Everywhere." 

About the Author:

I am a new author and have recently discovered that I am now addicted to writing. My first novel, Saving Rain, was originally going to be a single novel, but it quickly turned into a trilogy. I fell in love with the characters and had to continue with the story. Saving Rain is a new adult contemporary romance meant for readers 18 and older.

I live in the mountains with my family, and I love to read, hike, and travel when I am not writing. I am a sucker for romance, especially a book with a strong alpha male who has a sensitive side. I also enjoy a good mystery and thrillers. My favorite author is James Patterson, he is an amazing writer.

With being a newbie, I am just learning all the ropes, but I'm loving the wild ride. I plan on writing for as long as my fingers have dexterity

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Title: Sweet Victory 

Series: His Wicker Games #2.5

 Author: Ember Casey 

 Release date: November 19th, 2013 

 Genre: Erotic Romance / Steamy Contemporary Romance 

 Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours 

Goodreads

AMAZON
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ALL ROMANCE
My Review to Book 1: His Wicked Games

 Book Description:
 A His Wicked Games novella coming November 19th, 2013.

 One night. One game. One wicked experience they’ll never forget… It’s Lily and Calder’s first night in their new apartment—and Calder proposes a steamy showdown that’s certain to leave both of them breathless. In a challenge like this, things are sure to get heated—but neither of them can be prepared for the surprises that await them as their ultimate game unfolds…


 Book Excerpt

“Is that our door?” I say.

Who could be knocking on our door? Especially at this hour? I haven’t had a chance to give everyone our new address yet. I suppose the delivery guy could be paying us a return visit—maybe he forgot one of our dishes and we didn’t notice?—but it seems a little late for that. Maybe the walls were even thinner than we thought and one of the neighbors has come to complain. Calder’s already climbing to his feet, and he pulls me up beside him. We return to the living room together.

The pounding is growing louder, more insistent.

“Stay back,” Calder tells me. I can tell by his expression that he too is unnerved by this late-night visitor. I’m about to suggest that we ignore the knocking and hope whoever it is goes away when our unexpected guest stops pounding and starts yelling through the door.

“Come on, Calder! I know you’re in there!”

I freeze. Why is a woman screaming through our door? Why is she looking for Calder?

I glance over at him, and it appears that he’s just as shocked as I am. He’s frozen, stunned.

“Who is it?” I hiss. If she doesn’t hear us, there’s still a chance she’ll give up and go away. I steal a glance at the door, and I’m relieved to see that both the deadbolt and the chain are in place.

“Dammit!” shouts the woman. “Let me in, Calder!”

Calder is staring straight at the door, and his hands have curled into fists. He doesn’t appear to have heard my initial question, so I try again.

“Who is she?” I ask, a little louder this time. “What does she want?” Is this some angry ex-girlfriend come to bring the wrath down upon his new apartment? But that doesn’t make any sense—we’ve both had long talks about our past relationships, and I can’t think of anyone in his past who’d show up out of the blue like this.

It takes Calder a minute to turn his head toward me. When he does, he looks stricken. I swear he’s a shade paler than usual.

“It’s Louisa,” he says, his confusion clear in his voice.

Louisa? I’m certain I know that name, but it takes a moment for everything to click in my head.

No, she’s not an ex-girlfriend, but rather something much, much more complicated.

 About the Author:

 Ember Casey is a twenty-something writer who lives in Atlanta, Georgia in a den of iniquity (or so she likes to tell people). When she's not writing steamy romances, you can find her whipping up baked goods (usually of the chocolate variety), traveling (her bucket list is infinite), or generally causing trouble (because somebody has to do it).

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Title: Healing Rain

Series: Rain Trilogy #2

Author: Karen-Anne Stewart

Pages: 236

Published: 08.29.13

Goodreads

Amazon
My Review on Book 1: Saving Rain 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Shattered when Raina runs after his marriage proposal, Kas is hell-bent to find her and bring her home, where she belongs. He will bend every law necessary to do so, willing to do anything to protect Raina from her demons and the men who haunt her, going as far as placing his career and life on the line to save hers. Raina will give up everything she has worked so hard to achieve, even flee the country to keep Kas from the wrath and powerful reach of her abusive father.
In the midst of the FBI team closing in on the Ghost, another ghost from Raina's past taunts her, promising that she will be his. Meanwhile, a different trafficking ring is gaining strength in New Jersey. Michael solicits Raina's help, needing her smooth, sultry voice to win the audition for the new singer in the ring leader's swanky night club. Raina knows her life is in jeopardy with the dangers of being undercover, but she is blindsided when she discovers that it's her heart that is threatened with a mortal blow. 
Raina tries to heal from the nightmares of her dark past as the grisly bodies of innocent victims surface when the team gets closer to discovering the identity of the man responsible for the infuriatingly clever and powerful slavery ring. When Raina finally comes face to face with the Ghost, he quickly engulfs her in a twisted game of cat and mouse, delivering a veiled threat as he slips through her fingers. As the ghosts of her past and present ensnare her in their deadly web, Raina realizes the danger has just begun.

***Disclaimer: Due to sensitive issues of abuse, human trafficking, and adult scenes, The Rain Trilogy is intended for readers 18+

My Review:

This book takes off right where the last book ended. Toward the end of Saving Rain, Kas had proposed to Raina. But thanks to the threats from her father, Raina turned down Kas' proposal and escaped to Italy. Once Kas has figured out that Raina's father was back in town and the affect it probably had on Raina, he is determined to find her and make sure she is all right. With thanks to his FBI connections, Kas and Chase take off in search for Raina. Will he find her? Is the damage done by her father repairable? What is going on with the hunt for the "The Ghost," the leader behind the world biggest human trafficking ring? To find out the answers to all these questions and more you have to pick up this book.

What can I say, other than this book was once again AMAZING! At this point I have became super invested in these characters. Raina touches my heart in so many ways. She in the epitome of the word Perseverance. In this book we really see her start putting the pieces of her life back together and start to repair some of the internal damage. She is starting to develop an extended support group that is enableing her to start believing in her self and to start to notice the remarkable woman she truly is. 

In addition to the self discovery and the love story in Healing Rain, the mystery also starts unraveling as Kas, Raina and the other members of their team start uncovering some of the missing links in their hunt to find The Ghost. Once again this book ends off on an gut wrenching cliff hanger that makes you anxious to pick up book 3! 

Title: Saving Rain

Series: Rain Trilogy #1

Author: Karen-Anne Stewart

Pages: 364

Published: 01.31.13

Goodreads Rating: 4.37

My Rating: 5.0


Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

















Goodreads Synopsis:

Raina has tried to forget her past, forget the pain, but when she finds herself staring straight into the fury blazing in her ex-boyfriend's eyes, her dark past comes rushing back. Furious with herself for actually having chosen someone like her father, she uses that anger to her advantage and fights for her life...and for her future that she prays will involve the man she can't seem to get out of her head. Kas is a natural leader, a fierce fighter, the type of man you send in when you need to get the job done. He is a courageous hero who is used to risking his own life to save others, but can he save the one who has captured his heart from her horrific past and the men who are hell-bent on destroying her? As Kas and Raina try to navigate through the twists and turns of a deviously intelligent human trafficking group, they find solace in each other's arms. Can they infiltrate the trafficker's tight ring, saving the innocent lives from imminent danger before it's too late?

***Disclaimer: Due to sensitive issues of abuse, human trafficking, and adult scenes, The Rain Trilogy is intended for readers 18+. Although Saving Rain does not include 'adult' scenes, the final two novels do


My Review: 

Wow what an amazing 1st book! Please do take note of the disclaimer. This book touches on some really heavy topics that may not be suitable for all. It addresses human trafficking, child abuse, abuse, and rape.  I can't believe I had not heard of this series before. I signed up for a blog tour after reading and really liking the synopsis of a book. When I came to add it on goodreads I realized that it was actually the 3rd book in a series, so I had to pick up the first two books. And boy I am glad I did. 

This book probably wins the award for making me cry as much as possible in such a short time. By  the prologue and first chapter I was already in tears. The story is about a 19 year old girl who is working as an translator on a Human Trafficking case for the FBI. Even though she faces some terrifying and brutal cases as she works as a translator and computer hacker, the real tragedy is what you find in past. Kas in a mid-twenties lead agent in the FBI, from the second he meets Raina he is immediately drawn to her. One day Raina is brutally beaten by her Boy friend Chris. As Kas takes care of her, he soon finds out that this was not the first time that she had been abused, but in fact the doctor finds evidence of repeated untreated old scars. 

Kas is determined to find out what happened to Raina, while Raina is trying to come to terms with her past and her new found feelings for Kas. Kas is she gentle and sweet and makes her feel safe, but thanks to a history of men who blamed her for things that were not her fault and made her self esteem so low, she is unable to see the treasure that she actually is. This book ends with a cliff hanger that will make you want to dive in to book 2.

I believe I found this book at the right time in my life. I am currently doing my Psych Nursing rotation and just recently I had the privileged of working and speaking with someone who was seeking help from wife abuse. After speaking with this brave lady I was able to prepare myself for this series. As mentioned above this book is not for everyone. Some of the scenes are very graphic and hard to digest. But the sad reality of this, that even though this story is a work of fiction, situations similar to this are occurring daily.

But don't let this persuade you against reading this book. Seeing Raina thrive and learn to love herself was absolutely amazing. And to have strong men on her side such as Kas and his bestfriend/clincial psychologist Chase is phenomenal. Also the suspenseful action packed mystery is also enough to keep you turning from page to page. 

Title: Waiting For Romeo

Author: Diane Mannino

Series: Romeo #2

Release date: November 15^th, 2013

Genre: Young Adult

Tour: Irresistible Reads Book Tours

Goodreads Rating: 4.64

My Rating: 5.0

Goodreads Link

Book 1 - Running from Romeo

My Review: Running From Romeo

 Book Description:

Heartbroken by the one guy she simply couldn't resist, Emilia King is determined to move on. But Logan Prescott is also determined… determined to win her back. He lost the only person who truly mattered to him and now he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Emilia to give him a second chance.

While their attraction to each other is undeniable, the obstacles they’re forced to confront may be too much. And just when it seems their love for each other is a bond that knows no bounds, Emilia faces her worst nightmare.

With her newfound inner strength, Emilia realizes fighting to be with Logan is her only hope…and waiting for him may ultimately determine not only their future together, but her own destiny.

My Review: 

I was very fortunate to be introduced to this series and amazing author by Irresistible Reads Book Tour. I am sure if I never participated in the blog tour I would have still discovered this series on my own thanks tot the magic of Goodreads, but I would have missed out on the opportunity to have work with Diane so much, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. 

Book 1 ends on a heart wrenching cliff hanger. I don't want to go into too much detail for those of you discovering this series for the 1st time. But let's just say it broke my heart so much, that I repeatedly emailed Diane to beg her for book 2. As soon as I received my ARC for Waiting for Romeo, I dove right in to find out what happens. The first part of the book addressed the cliff hanger and we got to see the emotional roller coaster that the Emilia and Logan go on to attempt to repair the problems from book 1 that shattered their new found love.  Immediately I was once again swept up by all the romantic ways Logan attempts to win Emilia. In this book, Emilia is finally able to open up to Logan regarding the horrors of her past. Reading about these stories, moved me to tears and seeing Logan's steadfast devotion to her and his attempt to right all her wrongs, gave him so much more brownie points in my book. 

What made this story even more intense than the first was the action packed, suspenseful mystery that was added in.  There is someone out there with a vengeance against Emilia and they won't stop for anything to get to her. I thought I had figured out who this villain was but I was completely wrong and shocked to discover who this person actually was. (I LOVE BEING SURPRISED). Emilia finds herself in real danger and Logan and her friends will try everything possible to keep her safe, but will it be enough? 

There are many amazing aspects about this story: humor, friendship, literature, music, and perseverance. But my favorite component of this series is the abundance of love that is written into the pages. And I am not just speaking about the love between our heroine and hero. But love can be found from so many corners. We have love between a father and daughter who must pull together to recover from Emilia's mother's death and the horrors of Emilia's past. We find it  between the store owners who have become a surrogate mother and father for Emilia. Then there is the love between Emilia and her best friend/room mate Bryn. This is the kind of friendship any girl would love to have. All in all this whole ensemble of characters is one that I have grown to cherish and will always love to read about.



I was honored to have been able to ask Diane some interview questions and absolutely loved reading her responses.

FUN FACTS

   

What author/story inspired you to write?

             I always wanted to write a book. I was an English major (no surprise there) and I fell in love with the classics. There’s not one specific book or author that inspired me to write, but more of a collection of books over the years.

             Obviously, I love Shakespeare and I took quite a few courses on Shakespeare in college. I also love Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and Emily Bronte.

             Besides classics, I grew-up loving Judy Blume, S.E. Hinton and V.C. Andrews. I’m sure I’m forgetting many others, but these pop into my mind.

             I’m a huge fan of the “Harry Potter” and “Hunger Games” series, but I also love romances. I enjoyed E.L. James “50 Shades of Grey” and Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” series as well as many “New Adult” books. Today, some of my favorite books are by Tammara Webber, Rachel Van Dyken, Jessica Sorensen and Colleen Hoover (just to name a few).

            When I finally decided to write a book I knew I wanted to write a YA/NA romance and I wanted Classic Literature to play a part in the story. I have two teenage daughters and I want them to enjoy and love the classics as much as I did. I hope by putting a modern twist to Shakespeare and other classics that it’ll make them, as well as others, want to explore Classic Literature.

Favorite TV show/Movie?

            “The Voice” which is probably not surprising since you know how much I love music J I love the premise of the show and the turning chairs. I also adore Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.

            I’m also a big fan of “Survivor” and I love “Modern Family.”

            As for movie...that’s a tough one to narrow down. My most recent favorite movies would be “Silver Linings Playbook” and “The Help.” They’re both fabulous books that they made into fabulous movies (doesn’t happen often). I loved “Argo” too.

            I grew-up in the 80’s so I love “Breakfast Club,” “Sixteen Candles,” “Ferris Bueller,” and “Mystic Pizza.”

            Let’s see…I’ll narrow it down this way…Favorite Scary Movie: The Shining. Favorite Comedy: Wedding Crashers/Legally Blonde, Favorite Romance: Pretty Woman/The Notebook, and I can’t narrow down dramas…too many that I love.

 Do you have a specific room in your house or a coffee shop which you like to write in?

            My favorite room to type in is our guest bedroom. It gets lovely light and there’s a nice window. I can look into the yard and the sky. My favorite place to write on a notebook when I’m coming up with ideas and chapter outlines would be our master bedroom. We have big comfy chair I like to sit in and I love to plug in my headphones for some musical inspiration J

If you had the choice of going back in time or going to the future, which would you choose and why?

            I would definitely choose the past. Can I choose a specific time and location? If so, I’d head to London between 1589 and 1613. You can probably guess why. I’d love to meet Shakespeare and have a cup of tea with him!

           

 What’s the last book you’ve read that made you cry?

            LOL…It doesn’t take much to make me cry. I cry when I see someone crying, I cry in commercials, and even in animated movies. But probably the last book would be Rachel Van Dyken’s “Ruin.”

STORY RELATED QUESTIONS

What was your inspiration behind Emilia and Logan’s love story?

 “Romeo and Juliet” is a big inspiration. I love the passion they have for each other and I love Romeo’s pursuit of Juliet. Doesn’t every girl wish a boy would say something as beautiful and romantic to her as, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”

            I love romances with characters that you care about and root for. Also, I love playful banter between characters whether it’s in a book or a movie. I really like the emails and text messages in E.L. James’ “50 Shades of Grey” and Tammara Webber’s “Easy.” So I would say all of these elements are the inspirations behind Emilia and Logan’s love story.

           

  So you already know how I feel about the cliffhanger in “Running from Romeo.” Were you intentionally trying to break hearts? Just kidding! Did you feel that such a drastic cliffhanger was necessary?

            LOL! Yes, I wanted to break hearts ;) Well, isn’t that usually the case with most romances? Guy gets girl, guys loses girl, guy wins her back. I really wanted to develop their romance slowly because of Emilia’s issues. I didn’t want it to be a stand-alone book so I thought something drastic needed to happen so people would be interested in a sequel. I know most people would have preferred a happily-ever-after, but by ending it the way I did I hoped that people cared enough about the characters to want to read more. The sequel goes into more depth about Logan’s issues and I think if you didn’t sympathize with him before you will now…I hope J

 One of the things I enjoyed most about both of your books was your use of lyrics and quotes, especially the Shakespeare quotes. First of all, why Shakespeare? And secondly, do you have a specific quote or song lyrics that you would say describe your personal life?

            I’m so glad you enjoyed the lyrics and quotes! I love music and love the way it can set the tone in a scene. I love Shakespeare and his writing is not only beautiful, but it’s still so relatable.

            Hmm. This is a tough one! We have two daughters so I say the quotes that would describe our personal life right now would be some of Shakespeare’s quotes on wisdom. My husband and I preach this Shakespeare quote the most often: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves” from “Julius Caesar.” Another one: “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none” from “All’s Well That Ends Well.” I don’t mean we’re actually saying these quotes word-for-word. We just preach the meaning of them. Does that make sense?

Many authors choose to write companion stories with some of their side characters. Do you have plans to do so? I think not Bryn and Chloe have great possibilities for stories.

            I love Bryn and Chloe so I’m thrilled you’d be interested in stories about them. I would definitely enjoy exploring their characters and finding where life takes them. I haven’t really thought too much about it, but maybe J

 So when I was about 100 pages in I told you I had my guesses on the villain of “Waiting for Romeo,” but I was completely wrong. Did you always know that you would bring this specific character in the storyline?

            Yes. I definitely knew from the beginning. I hope you won’t be mad when I say that I can’t tell you how happy that makes me that you were completely wrong! YAY! When you’re writing, it’s in your head. You know where you’re going and so to me I was so worried about it being obvious. I want readers to suspect different people, but I also want readers to get to that point in the story and go, “Whoa! What just happened?” If you go back and reread it, knowing what you know, I bet it’ll be more obvious ;)

 Is this the last we will see of Emilia and Logan? Or do you have more planned for them?

            I think I’ve overused the word “love” in my answers, but I’ll use it one last time. I LOVE these characters, especially Emilia and Logan…so we’ll see. The story ends at Spring Break so they still have to graduate, right? I didn’t end with a cliffhanger, but I think I left enough things open where the story could continue. Besides, there are quite a few psychopaths still on the loose! LOL!

          

  Would you like another book? Let me know…Anasheh, I’d love to hear what you think as well as others J

The answer is YES, I would love to have another book. There is still so much I would love

to read about. I would love to read more about Logan's family. And there is a certain

childhood friend from Emilia's past that would be interesting to find out what happened to her.

But these are just the selfish musing of a book fanatic ;)

           
About the Author:

DIANE MANNINO graduated from University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in English Literature. She is a former writer for Museum and Arts Washington and Star Magazine as well as several television shows, including, Inside Edition, American Journal, and E! News Daily. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Running from Romeo is her first novel and she is currently working on the sequel.

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