He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

Title: He Will Be My Ruin

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming na antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was fairly within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation…

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Over the last three years, K.A. Tucker has become one of my absolute auto-buy authors. I don’t need to know what the book is about, I will buy it and I will read it. And I can guarantee I will love it every time. Her latest romantic suspense, He Will Be My Ruin, was no different.

If you asked anyone, they would have told you that Celine Gonzalez had everything she wanted. But appearances can be deceiving. Everyone, the police included, believes that Celine killed herself. Everyone except for Maggie Sparkes, her best friend since childhood. Maggie believes there was something more going on with Celine. The friend she knew just wouldn’t kill herself. As she packs up Celine’s apartment, Maggie discovers a lock box containing more questions than answers. In it, she finds a picture of a man Celine was in love with, a man she knew nothing about. Maggie knows something’s not quite right about everything that happened. And the more she digs for answers about her friend’s death, the more she’s putting herself at risk.

I have read and loved all the books in both the Ten Tiny Breaths and the Burying Water series. You might even go so far as to say that K.A. Tucker is one of my all-time favourite authors (spoiler alert: she totally is). So I was definitely excited about He Will Be My Ruin. I pretty much read it the moment I got my hands on it. And I will say this: it’s definitely different from K.A. Tucker’s previous books, but it didn’t stop me from loving it just as much as the ones that came before. Here’s the thing, reading all of K.A. Tucker’s other books, I’ve gotten used to romance and lots of it, so I kept expecting that with He Will Be My Ruin even though it was romantic suspense. Though romance was definitely present in the story (hello sexy rooftop garden with a hammock scene!), it wasn’t the main focus of the story. The focus of the story would have been that whole mystery, thriller part of things. Yeah, that. And to say that He Will Be My Ruin kept me guessing would be a major understatement. I typically pride myself on being able to figure out mysteries before everything is laid out in front of me. I credit that ability to excessive watching of crime shows and police procedurals. But this time, I didn’t see it coming. Like at all. I kept thinking I had what happened to Celine figured out, but then I would be given another piece of information and things just didn’t fit anymore. I literally needed everything laid out in front of me before I finally understood it all. And that’s because there were so many layers to the mystery and it just made the story that much more engaging. So yeah, He Will Be My Ruin may not have had as much romance as I’m used to with K.A. Tucker, but it had one hell of a suspense story.

I loved reading the bulk of this story from Maggie’s perspective because it meant I was finding things out at the same time as she did. Not only that, but her connection to everything made everything that much more intense. She was desperate for answers about what happened to her best friend, and her determination to get answers really spoke to how much she cared about Celine. She just didn’t want to accept that her friend committed suicide and she was ready to do just about anything to prove it, even putting herself in danger. And put herself in danger, she definitely did. Though she didn’t realize it. And that’s because, like me, Maggie was a little confused about who she could trust. And I can’t really blame her because every time I thought I could trust either Grady or Jace, something would happen to make me doubt their trustworthiness. And then I would start trusting them again. And so it went for pretty much the whole book. I’ve said it already, but I honestly couldn’t figure out who the bad guy was supposed to be or if either one of them was even a bad guy to begin with. It drove me absolutely crazy, but in the best way possible.

K.A. Tucker completely blew me away with He Will Be My Ruin. This story had so many layers and kept me guessing until the very end. And even then, I wasn’t sure I had everything right. If you love a good romantic suspense, then you need to get your hands on this books ASAP.

Blog Tour - Chasing River by K.A. Tucker + Giveaway

Title: Chasing River (Burying Water #3)

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / B&N / iBooks / Indigo

Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need toe experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Casing her off would be the smart move. 

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

By now it shouldn’t be a secret or a surprise that I love K.A. Tucker and her books. In the last year and a half I have devoured every book she’s published and I just can never seem to get enough. The last few months I was dying to read her latest, Chasing River, and I was not in the least bit disappointed by the story.

Amber Welles has never ventured outside the comfortable bubble of her small Oregon hometown, but she’s decided that it’s time to experience life for what it is. Setting off on a trip around the world, Amber is ready for an adventure wanting to see what the world has to offer. What she never expected was almost dying in a terrorist bombing in Dublin. At the last second, a stranger jumps in and saves her, before taking off again without giving her a chance to thank him. Determined to find her mysterious saviour, Amber keeps looking around Dublin hoping she’ll find the man who saved her life. The one problem is that River is doing everything he can to stay away from Amber, no matter how much he feels a pull towards her. It’s not just to protect himself and his family, it’s also for her own protection. But even if it means putting themselves in danger, Amber and River can’t keep fighting the forces that keep pulling them together.

Here’s the thing about writing reviews for books written by a favourite author: it’s HARD. If I’m being completely honest, all I really want to say about Chasing River is that it was freaking amazing and everyone should read it. But in my opinion, I could say the exact same thing about every one of K.A. Tucker’s books that I’ve read (so all of them), so that’s not entirely helpful. Unless you’re just going to take my word for it and walk over to your local bookstore to pick up any one of her books. So I’ll try to give you all a little more than that where Chasing River is concerned. For starters, this story gave me wanderlust like no other. I’ve been to Dublin and other parts of Ireland before, but reading Chasing River totally made me want to go back, even with the book starting off with a bombing in one of the busiest areas of Dublin. And speaking of that bombing and all its implications, I really enjoyed how much of the story was tied to the history of the IRA and how over time the organization has changed from what it originally was. It added another layer of depth to the story, beyond just the “traditional” suspense and the romance. Which, speaking of the romance, it should go without saying that I loved it. I loved the way the relationship between Amber and River developed, how despite that initial attraction they both tried to resist it, knowing that it was likely not going to end well. It only made it that much better when they did get together

In many ways I could related to Amber, especially when it comes to doing the “safe” thing and never really doing anything to stray from that supposedly “safe” path. Because that’s pretty much what I’ve done with my life so far. So I appreciated and understood that side of Amber’s personality. And I could totally understand her desire to want to go on an adventure, to see what the world had to offer. So it didn’t take long for me to connect to Amber and her story. And as much I would love to go off on a trip around the world the way Amber does, I would like to hope I wouldn’t end up almost killed in a bombing like she did. Or if that were the case, maybe there would be my own River on hand to save me. Because I wouldn’t mind having my own River, or even stealing this River from Amber and keeping him for myself, because, well, yeah. River was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but he was doing the best he could to do the right thing by his family and the people he cared about and that often put him in difficult situations. But I admired his loyalty, even if sometimes it led to him making some questionable decisions. It all worked out though, but there were still some close calls. But none of that stopped me from absolutely loving River. Also, Ivy was awesome. I loved seeing so much of her in Chasing River and it made me that much more excited about reading her story in Surviving Ice.

Chasing River was exactly what I had hoped it would be. This story was packed with intrigue, drama and romance, just the way I liked it. K.A. Tucker absolutely delivered with this story and I can’t wait to see what she does next with Surviving Ice. 

Giveaway!

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Cover Reveal - Surviving Ice by K.A. Tucker

 

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Cover Reveal for K.A. Tucker’s SURVIVING ICE!! SURVIVING ICE is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, and the fourth novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. SURVIVING ICE is set to be released October 13, 2015!

About Surviving Ice

Add Surviving Ice on Goodreads!

Ivy Lee, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have finally found it working in her uncle’s tattoo shop in San Francisco. But all that changes when a robbery turns deadly, compelling her to pack up her things yet again.

When they need the best, they call him. That’s why Sebastian Riker is back in California, cleaning up the mess made after a tattoo shop owner with a penchant for blackmail got himself shot. But it’s impossible to get the answers he needs from a dead body, leaving him to look elsewhere. Namely, to the twenty-something-year-old niece who believes this was a random attack. Who needs to keep believing that until Sebastian finds what he’s searching for.

Ivy has one foot out of San Francisco when a chance encounter with a stranger stalls her departure. She’s always been drawn to intense men, so it’s not wonder that she now finds a reason to stay after all, quickly intoxicated by his dark smile, his intimidating strength, and his quiet control.

That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter was no accident—and that their attraction could be her undoing.

Pre-Order SURVIVING ICE today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

And don’t forget BURYING WATER, BECOMING RAIN and CHASING RIVER, the first three books in this thrilling series…

About BURYING WATER

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. he knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

Get your copy of BURYING WATER now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

About BECOMING RAIN

Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it—the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.

Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers int he Washington, DC, major crime unit, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the West Coast’s most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year-old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she’ll even want to.

Get BECOMING RAIN now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Books-a-Million | Google

About CHASING RIVER

Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-years-old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except drying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, hoe wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

Pre-order CHASING RIVER today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

About K.A. Tucker

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Novel Goodreads | Author Goodreads | YouTube | Pinterest | Instagram

Cover Reveal - Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

We have been dying to share this Cover Reveal for K.A. Tucker's CHASING RIVER with you all! CHASING RIVER is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, and the third novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. CHASING RIVER is set to be released July 7, 2015! If you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet now is the time!

To celebrate, BURYING WATER, with an excerpt of CHASING RIVER, is just $1.99 for the month of April!!
Grab BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN while you wait for CHASING RIVER!

About Chasing River

Add CHASING RIVER on Goodreads!

Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year-old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’s want to catch.

Pre-Order CHASING RIVER today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | IndieBound | Books-a-Million

And don’t forget BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series…

About BURYING WATER

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the field of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crochet but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

BURYING WATER is just $1.99 for the month of April!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound

About BECOMING RAIN

Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it—the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of a gorgeous socialite named Rain.

Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington, DC major crime unity, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the West Coast’s most notorious cart theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year-old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she’ll even want to. 

Get your copy of BECOMING RAIN today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Books-a-Million | Google

About K.A. Tucker

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Novel Goodreads | Author Goodreads | YouTube | Pinterest | Instagram

Becoming Rain by K.A. Tucker

Title: Becoming Rain (Burying Water #2)

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: March 3, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo / B&N

Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust in involved in but he wants in on ti—the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.

Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast’s most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blue, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or is she’ll even want to.

I am such a huge K.A. Tucker fangirl and I will read and will very likely love just about anything she writes. This was true of her Ten Tiny Breaths series, and it’s been true with her Burying Water series so far. I loved the first book, and the second one, Becoming Rain, completely blew me away.

Luke has always known there was more to his uncle Rust’s business than just an auto-repair shop. Sure, the garage is successful, but there’s no way it could support his uncle’s lifestyle. And Luke wants in on it. He doesn’t care that the dealings may are shady, he wants the women, the cars and the money his uncle’s business seem to bring in. Especially when he meets Rain Martines. What Luke doesn’t know is that Rain isn’t exactly who she says she is. Rain is also Clara, an undercover cop on assignment. And her target? None other than Rust, Luke’s uncle. Clara knows what she has to do in order to take down Rust’s car theft ring. Her assignment is clear: seduce Luke Boone and gain access to the operations. But lines becomes blurred between where Rain ends and Clara begins, especially as she spends more time with Luke. When the time comes, will Clara be able to do what she needs to? And if she does, will Luke ever be able to forgive her?

Oh how I love reading a new K.A. Tucker story. There’s just this feeling when starting a new book by a favourite author that I just won’t ever get tired of. And that feeling was definitely there when I started reading Becoming Rain. When I first received my copy of the book for review, I told myself I would just read a few pages and then go back to what I was supposed to be reading. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I got completely sucked in, and before I knew what was happening, a few pages turned into a few chapters and then that quickly turned into me staying up way too late because I couldn’t put the book down. To say that Becoming Rain was captivating and engrossing would be a serious understatement. With this new series, K.A. Tucker has included an element of mystery to the stories, giving the books an almost thriller feel. And I love it. The whole time I was reading, I was waiting for things to be explained, to see if how I had pieced things together was the way they actually were. And as with any good K.A. Tucker book, the romance was there and it delivered. But of course I can’t talk about the romance without talking about Clara and Luke.

Let me just preface any talk of Clara and Luke by saying that my feelings about them were complicated. I knew what I felt, but there were times when I was conflicted about what I was feeling. But by the end of it, there was no doubt in my mind that I was rooting for Luke and Clara. But rooting for them when for the better part of the book one of them was pretending to be someone else was hard. At first I just felt very conflicted. I was reading and I could see the chemistry between Clara and Luke and I could see that they were attracted to each other. But at the same time, Clara was so against the idea of being attracted to Luke that I started to feel that way. But I still wanted them to be together. Did I mention that my feelings were complicated? Beyond wanting Luke and Clara to be together in spite of everything happening around them, I really loved them as their own people. Sure, there were plenty of moments when I wanted to yell at Luke. When I wanted to tell him that he should turn around now before he got in way over his head. Hell, I’m pretty sure there were times when I was straight up talking at the book as if Luke could actually hear me (I swear, I’m not crazy). But at the same time, I knew that Luke was a good person. He was just stuck in a bad situation. And I could understand Clara’s struggle about the way she felt about Luke because half the time I was right there with her. Through it all Clara was being pulled back and forth between her feelings and her duty as a cop. I really enjoyed seeing her work through all that, and I kept hoping that whatever decision she came to would involve her being with Luke. Because as confused as I was about my feelings about their relationship, I would have been seriously angry if Luke and Clara didn’t find a way to work it out.

K.A. Tucker’s Becoming Rain was absolutely fantastic. If anything, I loved this story even more than I did the first one in this series. It’s a little darker, it’s sexy and it has some of the best characters I’ve read about recently. I”m excited to see whose story K.A. Tucker will be tackling next!

Blog Tour - Burying Water by K.A. Tucker + Giveaway

Title: Burying Water (Burying Water #1)

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo / B&N

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defines all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried. 

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of K.A. Tucker and her Ten Tiny Breaths series. With that series having come to an end, I was excited to see what she would do next. Burying Water sounded like it had a lot of potential. Memory loss and a mysterious neighbor? Count me in! And I was not in the least bit disappointed.

When she wakes up in the hospital, she has no idea who she is, much less how she got there. Having been left for dead in field outside a small Oregon, she doesn't know where she comes from or what she could have done to be attacked in way she was. After months in the hospital being called "Jane Doe," she renames herself "Water," after discovering a tattoo o her body. Taken in by Ginny, an old lady who owns a ranch outside of town, Water sets about getting on with her life hoping that her memories will one day return. But she can't help but feel drawn to Jesse, the neighbor who spends most of his time playing with the engine of his car. Does she know him? Does he know what happened to her before she lost her memory? Jesse knows he should stay away from Water. After everything that happened he shouldn't let himself get close to her. But his feelings, much like Water's, can only stay buried for long.

There's so much I want to say about K.A. Tucker's Burying Water. I just don't know if I'll be able to get it all out, much less if I'll be able to do so coherently. But I'll try. I was a little apprehensive when I started reading Burying Water. I love K.A. Tucker's other new adult books so FREAKING much that I didn't know how this one would possibly be able to compare. I didn't help that when I started reading I didn't know how it was going to work not only to have the story told from two perspectives, but from two different points in time. Once I started reading, though, I got swept up in the story. The way Burying Water is written, it's almost as if I got two love stories: one of Jesse falling in love with Alex, and one of Water falling in love with Jesse. I absolutely LOVED seeing these two stories unfold. With Jesse's story, there was definitely more drama, questioning of whether he was doing the right thing. With Water's story, it was all about jumping into the unknown. And as much as I loved seeing the relationships and the romance develop, it also broke my heart. The more I read, the more I knew what was coming but I couldn't stop reading even if I knew it would result with me in tears. Through it all though, I was falling in love with Jesse and Water.

It would have been very difficult for me to not fall for Jesse Welles. From the moment I met him in Burying Water, I knew that he would quickly work his way into my heart. He didn't thin highly of himself, but the more I read, and the more I saw him interact with Alex (and I REALLY want to talk about Alex, but I can't because it would just be too complicated), I just knew that he was more than he was giving himself credit for. Sure, he had made bad decisions in the past, and even now some of his decisions were questionable at best, but what he did came from a good place. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep Alex safe, even if it meant hurting himself in the process. And that happened again with Water. Water is one of those people you can't help but feel for. She wakes up in the hospital after having been brutally attacked not knowing who she is. You an't help but want to root for this girl. And believe me when I say I did. It didn't take long for me to figure out what had happened to her, and when I did it only made me want to root for her even more. And as much as I wanted her to get her memories back, to understand who she really was, I didn't want her to have to relive everything that happened to her when she was attacked. And Water and Jesse were just good for each other, despite what the people around them might have believed. And more than anything, I wanted everything to be okay for them.

As you might have guessed by now, I loved K.A. Tucker's Burying Water. As apprehensive as I might have been about this book, I have no regrets now that I've read this story. And I can't help but look forward to Becoming Rain, the next book in this series.

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Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker

 

Title: Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths #4)

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: June 24, 2014

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intension of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plan and leave that mistake behind her. 

Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s read to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumour has it she’s trouble. The only problem, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…

I'm a complete sucker for K.A. Tucker and her New Adult stories. I've loved every one that I've read, and each time I get more excited about the next one. By the time I got my hands on a copy of Five Ways to Fall, I was pretty much dying to read this book. And it most certainly didn't disappoint me.

Reese MacKay has a long history of bad decisions. When her latest bad choice, an impulsive marriage, ends in heartbreak, she knows she has to turn her life around. So Reese packs up her bags and moves to Miami, with all the good intentions in the world. But a one night stand in Mexico with a bouncer named Ben quickly derails her plans. Reese never thought she would have to see Ben again after that humiliating night. That is until he walks into her office a few days later. Ben Morris is ready to put his days as a bouncer at a strip club behind him and start his career as a lawyer. But when he walks in to work on his first day and comes face to face with the crazy girl he hooked up with in Mexico, Ben knows this is going to be interesting. Both know they should stay away from each other, but Reese and Ben can't help but be drawn to trouble. After all, both know the other is trouble.

It's no secret that I have loved every other one of K.A. Tucker's New Adult books. So believe me when I say that I was excited about Five Ways to Fall. And I mean, counting down the days and checking available stock at nearby book stores for days before the official release date, excited. I wanted this book. Badly. When I got my hands on a copy of the book, it took all the willpower I had to not just start reading it at my desk at work. Needless to say, when I got home that night, I jumped right in. And I loved every last page of Five Ways to Fall. With this series, I love each book more than the last. It was no different with this one. I enjoyed seeing Reese and Ben's story develop. I loved that they were totally not on board with each other at first. This is a story that made me laugh and put a huge smile on my face, but at the same time, it also made me tear up. Both of these characters have so much baggage that's so important to who they are and I loved the way it all played out in the story. And of course, the romance was just perfect for me. It made me laugh, while at other times it frustrated me to no end (and I mean that in a totally GOOD way), but in the end I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Going in to Five Ways to Fall, I knew Ben. I already loved him and I couldn't wait to finally read his story. I had gotten glimpses of him in Ten Tiny Breaths and Four Seconds to Lose and I just knew that there was more to him than just his good looks and arrogance. And I was totally right. I absolutely loved seeing the other sides of his personality that I saw in Five Ways to Fall. He could be a total Mama's Boy and I loved him for it. His softer side is just as great, if not better, than the side of himself he typically shows the rest of the world. But as much as I knew about Ben, and as much as I was looking forward to reading his story, I didn't know anything about Reese. And I enjoyed getting to know her. Reese was the perfect match for Ben. She wasn't afraid to call him out on his bullshit, and she was more than willing to go toe to toe with him. I really enjoyed seeing this relationship play out and go from two people who are basically using each other, to two people who truly belong together.

I absolutely LOVED K.A. Tucker's Five Ways to Fall though I was sad to see this series come to a close. Just like the previous books, this one gave me a great story with characters I won't be forgetting any time soon. I can only hope that I'll get to see some of them again in the future.

In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker Release Day Launch + Giveaway

We are stoked to bring you all the Release Day Launch for K.A. Tucker's IN HER WAKE! IN HER WAKE is a new adult contemporary romance and a prequel novella in the Ten Tiny Breaths series, published by Atria Press (an imprint of Simon & Schuster).

Excerpt

That’s how I spot her.

There’s no doubt that it’s her; I’ve memorized her face.

Leaning against a wall on the opposite side, her lips wrapped around a clear bottle filled with clear liquor, her fiery red hair a wild mane against the stark white wall, tight black T-shirt showing off toned arms. She’s in no rush to part with that bottle, guzzling back a good portion before she hands it off to someone, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Her eyes at half-mast.

She’s wasted.

My heart starts racing. What the hell is Kacey Cleary doing here? By my calculation, she’s probably finishing her last year of high school, having lost at least half a year while recovering.

What if she does recognize me? How would she react? Does she know my real name? What I look like? I can’t say for sure that my face wasn’t printed in a newspaper somewhere. She could have Googled my name and found a dozen game shots with me in them. I have my helmet on in most of them, but you can find a profile picture of me easily enough if you’re looking.

I don’t know that she was, though. I wonder if Kacey Claery gives a fuck about anything anymore. Her Facebook account is inactive. She hasn’t posted a single word and the well-wishes have dwindled, as everyone moves on. 

I do know that she shouldn’t be at a party in this state. I’ve heard of bad things happening when girls get that drunk. Especially when they don’t care.

But what do I do?

A blonde stumbles into my chest with two beers in hand. “Hey, do you go here? What’s your name?” She’s tipping her head back way farther than necessary to look up at me, telling me she’s trying to flirt but is too drunk to do it right.

I smile down at her anyway. She’s a good cover. I can stand right here and watch Kacey. “I’m Trent, and I used to go here.”

“Really? When’d you graduate?”

From the corner of my eye, I see Kacey shift from the wall and begin climbing the stairs, her arm hooked around the railing to help her. Two guys following her.

About the book:

Cole Reynolds had it all. And then one night he makes a bad choice…and loses everything.

When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to rems with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he’d be able to lean on his best friends. The best friends that have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they’re gone. Worse, there’s the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys.

Everyone assures him that they know it wasn’t intentional and yet he can’t ignore the wight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. The all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won’t so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole beings to lose his grip of what once was important—college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It’s not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can being to see another way of his personal hell: forgiveness.

And there’s only one person who can give that to him…

Amazon / B&N / iBookstore / BAM / Bookish / Other

About K.A. Tucker:

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / YouTube / Pinterest / Instagram

And don’t miss the previous titles in the Ten Tiny Breaths Series!

TEN TINY BREATHS

ONE TINY LIE

FOUR SECONDS TO LOSE

FIVE WAYS TO FALL

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Cover Reveal - Burying Water by K.A. Tucker

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the cover reveal for K.A. Tucker's BURYING WATER! BURYING WATER is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel scheduled for release October 7th! This book will blow you away. Get. Ready.

About BURYING WATER:

Add BURYING WATER on Goodreads!

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

Pre-Order BURYING WATER Now!

On Sale October 7, 2014

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes

You can read Chapters 1-4 of BURYING WATER in the back of IN HER WAKE, the Ten Tiny Breaths prequel novella from Trent's POV! IN HER WAKE is out September 1st. Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes

About K.A. Tucker:

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brook of four-legged creatures. 

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** YouTube ** Pinterest ** Instagram

Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker

Title: Four Seconds To Lose (Ten Tiny Breaths #3)

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: April 1, 2014

Source: Borrowed from fellow blogger

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn't the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict "no sleeping with the staff" rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain's self-control…and it's been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it's too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she's putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she's not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn't really exist--and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited--but losing him when he finds out what she's involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

If you've been following my reviews for a while, you'll know that I have been absolutely LOVING K.A. Tucker's New Adult novels. I devoured Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie, and when I picked up Four Seconds to Lose, the same thing happened. The story completely sucked me in, and once again, I just fell in love with the characters. To say I wasn't disappointed is a major understatement.

Everyone always makes assumptions about the type of person Cain Ford is. Owning a strip club will do that. But Cain refuses to be like all the other strip clubs out there. At Penny's women are safe and Cain will do whatever he can to help them get their life on track. And the one thing he will absolutely not do is sleep with any of his employees. And so far, Cain has been able to stick to that rule. But everything changes when Charlie walks into his club looking for work. Charlie is looking to escape from her past, not get involved with her new boss. But the more they try to deny their attraction to each other, the more Cain and Charlie find themselves being drawn to one another. But Charlie knows that getting involved with Cain could be the one thing to end her. Because if Cain finds out about her past, she could lose the one person she truly cares for.

If nothing else, K.A. Tucker's books always seem to give me ALL THE FEELS. I just can't seem to get through any of her stories without my heart being put through the wringer and me lying on my bed hugging the book. This happened with Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie, and it happened once again with Four Seconds to Lose. The story this time around was different and darker than the previous two. But this darkness and intensity is what kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me turning the pages. There were so many unknowns in this story and I wanted to know them all, being the curious person that I am. Due to the subject matter, though, I can't really say that I connected as much with this story than I did with the other two, but that didn't stop me from loving it. And the characters, more than anything are what drew me in. Unlike in the two previous books, Four Seconds to Lose is told from alternating points of view and I loved what this brought to the story. It allowed me to get to know both Cain and Charlie that much better and made me realize just how intertwined their stories were, whether they knew it or not. 

I don't think I can even begin to explain how much I loved Charlie and Cain. They were both so broken but tried so hard to put themselves back together. As you may know by now, I love it when characters are broken because they just feel that much more real. That's exactly what I got with Cain and Charlie, and I loved them for it. Though she never wanted for anything, Charlie's life was pretty horrible all things considered. The more I found out about her stepfather and his "business," the more I wanted her to find a way out and to be able to do so without having to sacrifice everything and everyone, especially Cain. And I don't really think I can put Cain into words. Whatever image you have of a strip club owner in your mind, think the complete opposite end of the spectrum and you might be getting close to Cain. He's had a rough past, that's for sure, but he's trying his best to atone for it in any way that he can and sees fit. Sure, sometimes I questioned whether the decisions he made were the best ones, but there was never any doubt in my mind that he was a good guy. And at the end of the day, Cain and Charlie were just perfect for each other, even if they weren't always willing to admit it themselves.

I absolutely LOVED K.A. Tucker's Four Seconds to Lose. This is the kind of story that reminds me why I love broken characters so much and why they often make for the best stories. If you haven't picked up any of K.A. Tucker's New Adult titles, believe me when I say that you are seriously missing out.