WICKED REUNION (Wicked White #2) by Michelle A.Valentine-Review, Book Tour and Giveaway

Wicked Reunion

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 15, 2015

College sweethearts London Uphill and Jared Kraft were inseparable. He was a rising baseball star with a promising future, and she seemed destined to become “Mrs. Kraft.” Then a tragic night and a series of devastating mistakes caused Jared to walk away from his life, leaving London without any explanation and tearing the couple apart.

Five years later, Jared has reinvented himself by putting down the bat and picking up a guitar to play for the red-hot band Wicked White. In all that time, London hasn’t gotten over her forever love—or the pain—despite seeking solace in the arms of the one man no one dreamed she’d run to.

When Wicked White’s lead singer goes MIA, Jared finds the time—and courage—to return to his hometown and face the mess he made. He’s shocked at how London’s life has changed, yet he’s determined to prove their love is worth fighting for. Is this breakup too big for any hope of a reunion tour? Or can London open her heart to Jared once again?

••••••••

REVIEW: WICKED REUNION is the second installment in Michelle A.Valentine’s contemporary, new adult WICKED WHITE romance series. This is lead guitarist for the rock band Wicked White Jared Kraft, and primary school teacher London Uphill’s storyline-a second chance, of sorts, for two people whose lives imploded five years earlier. WICKED REUNION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. There is a slight connection with Valentine’s Black Falcon series.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Jared and London) as well as alternating past and present timelines wherein the present day events of WICKED REUNION run parallel and cross over with the events of book one WICKED WHITE, WICKED REUNION follows the before and after of a traumatic and tragic night in the life of Jared, and his brother Wes Kraft, and Jared’s fiancée London Uphill. Michelle A. Valentine pulls the reader into a heartbreaking and painful series of calamitous events (after the fact) all perpetrated and instigated by Jared Kraft and his need to lash out at the pain of losing someone close. What ensues is Jared’s need to get out of town, leaving his family and his fiancée behind without a goodbye or KMA. Five years will pass before Jared returns home to face his family and friends.

WICKED REUNION is a roller coaster of events, flashbacks, memories and alternating timelines that follows Jared’s fall from grace, losing everyone that he loves, and in doing so walks directly into his rock and roll future in a matter of hours and days. While Jared’s star begins to rise on the rock and roll concert stage, London pines away back home hoping for the return of the only man she has ever loved. Five years will pass and our heroine is still worshiping at the altar of Jared Kraft even though he has yet to contact or acknowledge her existence the entire time.

The personality and lack of emotional depth in our heroine, borders on obsession and psychotic. She is unable to let go of the past, so much so, that it affects every aspect of her life. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for London Uphill-she is a woman lost in a world of loss and grief. London’s love for Jared has never faltered in the five years since he walked away, and in all of that time, London has toyed with the heart of another man knowing he will never be the one she loves.

Jared is a selfish and egotistical pr*ck: a rock star who wants center stage regardless of who and what the label says. His behavior towards London is reprehensible; his jealousy and obnoxious conduct is filled with temper tantrums, lashing out, and immature behavior. I felt there were no redeeming qualities in our storyline ‘hero’. It is only when he has to face what he has truly lost does Jared offer up an apology.

As I stated in my opening remarks WICKED REUNION is a story of second chances-of sorts-because our couple do not reconcile or meet again until the final couple of chapters of the novel, and in this I had some issues with London’s easy acceptance and ability to take back the man that has caused her so much heartache and pain. London welcomes Jared home with open arms, but not everyone is accepting of his return.

WICKED REUNION felt a bit disjointed in the telling of the story but the larger issue is London’s ‘Debbie Downer’ throughout the entire story. The finale was too quick and too neatly packaged-a frustrating end to an over dramatic situation. The conflict and its resolution was barely addressed leaving this reader disappointed. What started off as great potential went downhill very fast.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of WICKED WHITE.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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about the author

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Michelle Valentine Michelle A. Valentine is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Rock the Heart. Wicked White is the first novel in her Wicked White romance series. She attended college as a drafting and design major, but her love of people soon persuaded her to join the nursing field. It wasn’t until after the birth of her son that she began her love affair with romance novels, and she hasn’t looked back since. When she’s not writing, she feeds her music addiction, dabbles in party planning, and expresses herself by working with arts and crafts. She currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, son, and two beloved dogs.

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WICKED WHITE (Wicked White #1) by Michelle A. Valentine-Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

Wicked White
Wicked White #1
by Michelle A.Valentine
Genre: adult, contemporary, rock romance
Release Date: June 23, 2015

Wicked White

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 23, 2015

After his mother dies, rock star Ace White—lead singer of the red-hot band Wicked White—is done with the celebrity game. The phony people, the meaningless one-night stands: he doesn’t want any of it anymore. Quitting in the middle of a sold-out tour, Ace sets out to find some place—any place—where he can be alone.

Aspiring singer Iris Easton’s life has never been easy. First, her mother walked out on her when she was a kid. Now she’s buried in debt, weeks after losing her beloved grandmother. When a mysterious and sexy new guy moves in next door, Iris can’t help but be drawn to his soulful gaze. She can tell there’s something from his past haunting him—something he’s not telling her.

Just as Ace starts falling for Iris, the media go on a worldwide hunt to find the missing rocker. Will true love conquer all, or will the truth be the very thing that tears the couple apart?

••••••••••

REVIEW: WICKED WHITE is the first installment in Michelle A. Valentine’s new, adult, contemporary Wicked White romance series. This is lead singer for the band Wicked White, twenty six year old Ace Johnson-White, and aspiring singer Iris Easton’s storyline.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Ace and Iris), the storyline follows Ace White as he spirals out of control. Tired of the phony celebrity lifestyle, one of which he has no personal or professional control, Ace walks away and goes into hiding following the death of his beloved foster mother Sarah Johnson. With no place in mind, Ace finds himself in a low rent mobile home park where he will meet the woman who calls to his soul-Iris Easton –the trailer park manager and a wanna be Broadway star. What ensues is a slow building relationship as Ace keeps his distance knowing that at any time, he will be on the move without looking back.

The relationship between Ace and Iris begins tempestuously. Ace wants nothing to do with making friends, and his attraction to Iris is immediate and visceral. In the beginning, Iris isn’t aware of Ace’s true identity, and in this, Ace is able to relax knowing that not everyone is out for his fame and fortune. But Ace has a bit of a temper, and when he steps over the line, one too many times, Iris knows her only recourse is to push Ace away-to protect the man with whom she has fallen in love.

We are introduced to Ace’s controlling manager Jane Ann- a woman who is all about the PR and bottom line. Ace’s Wicked White band mates-JJ Kraft White, Luke White and drummer Tyler White are but a blip on the radar wherein the reader learns very little about the other members or the history behind the band’s success. There is a definite dissenting vibe between the trio, one that adds to Ace’s already negative view of fame and celebrity. Just to note, each member of the band is assigned the last name of White as per the record company’s contract.

Iris’s friend and co-worker Birdie is a welcome addition as Iris struggles with her emotions and her need to distance herself from the man that she loves. And Birdie’s grandmother Adele is a force unto herself when she witnesses the fall out of Ace and Iris’s relationship.

WICKED WHITE is a simple storyline without any major complications or anxiety except those brought about by our leading couple. A distinct lack of communication between Ace and Iris leads to misunderstanding, broken hearts, and fallen tears. Unfortunately, I did have some issues as it pertained to the simplicity and lack of angst ridden moments as I did not feel a connection to the characters, or between one another. Their attraction to one another did not have any of the palpable energy as felt in other storylines; it was as though they were going through the motions, taking the reader along for the ride.

I am a big fan of Michelle A. Valentine’s Black Falcon rock series –the quality of writing and world building in the Black Falcon series far outweighs what I found in the Wicked White introductory storyline. It is as though someone else wrote this story; it didn’t have the ‘Michelle A Valentine’ intensity I have come to expect from her writing. The ‘oomph’ factor in Wicked White was missing; there was no frenetic energy to the building romance; and in all honesty, I wanted more information regarding Wicked White’s inception and how they came to be-after all, this is a series title Wicked White. Hopefully, as the series progresses, more history about the band will be revealed.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

“Iris…that was amazing. You’ve got so much talent,” I praise. Her green eyes light up with excitement like a child’s do on Christmas morning. “You really think so? You’re not just saying that?” “No. I never bullshit about music. You’ve definitely got the chops for Broadway, it’s just…” I hesitate, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but I know that in order for her to get better, she has to be told what she’s doing wrong. She lays her hand on my forearm. “Please, tell me. I can take it. Promise.” I stand beside her, so close that my chest nearly touches her shoulder. I’m itching to touch her, but I won’t do it without permission. “May I touch you?” She draws in a ragged breath and then nods. “Yes.” I curl the fingers of my right hand around her right shoulder and pull back a little so that her posture is perpendicular to the floor. At this angle, I can’t help but notice her heaving chest and how her perky tits move in sync with each breath she takes. I slide my left hand against her toned stomach and my pinkie grazes the warm patch of skin that’s exposed between her T-shirt and the waistband of her jeans. Our contact is fucking electric, and my own breathing picks up speed as I attempt to fight back the arousal I feel for her boiling beneath my surface. “Everything about you is magnetic,” I whisper in her ear, and she shivers at the words. “Don’t be afraid to open your eyes and watch your audience enjoy you. Be confident and project. Let go.” I let go of her shoulder, and move to face her before pressing the repeat button on the machine. As the intro of the song plays, I say, “Do it again, but this time I want you to look at me.” This time when she opens her mouth to sing, when she begins to tip her head down, I slide my index finger under her chin and angle her head so that she’s forced to peer into my eyes. Her words are just barely above a whisper, so I slip my hand back on her abdomen and say, “Project–from here. Sing it like you mean it.” It’s like lightening strikes this beautiful woman in my arms as she sings to me without fear. The words of the song come out effortlessly, and her voice could rival any of the greatest female vocalists of all time. She’s that damn stunning. I nod approvingly and smile. “Yes!” With that little bit of encouragement, she shocks me even more when she pushes herself to hit notes that are above and beyond what she reached the first time. Only on the last lyric does she close her eyes while she holds the note there until the music stops. She releases a contented sigh as soon as the music ends, and when her beautiful eyes meet mine again, they swirl with emotion. Completely blown away, I fumble with the words to tell her just how impressed I am. “Iris, that was–” Without warning, she throws her arms around my neck and crushes her lips against mine. I know kissing her back is wrong, but I’ll be damned if I don’t want her so badly at this point that I can’t stop myself from giving in. I’ve been so good with restraining myself when it comes to Iris, because protecting her from the chaos that I’ll bring her is what’s always been on the forefront of my mind. Her fingers thrust into my hair, and I reach down and curl my hands around her thighs before hoisting her into the air. Instinctively she wraps her legs around my waist, and I thread one of my hands into her tousled curls while the other is busy cupping that perfect ass of hers. “I’ve wanted you since you walked into my trailer,” she breathes against my lips. A thrill shoots through me at her admission of how long she’s wanted me. “You’ve been driving me out of my mind from the moment I first saw you.” “Then take me.”

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