Fire and Ice Blog Hop Guest Post, Book Review and Giveaway: Ruining Me and Ruining You by Nicole Reed!

To say I am excited about this hop would be an understatement because I have a fabulous new author, Nicole Reed here today about her two books, Ruining Me and Ruining You.

I feel in love with Nicole's work after reading Ruining Me late last year, it was just fabulous! You can find my review for it HERE.  

So of course I wanted to have my turn on the Hop be something I just knew everyone would love as much as I did, that is why I asked Nicole if she would be willing to be here today and maybe give us a sneak peek at her new book Ruining You for those of us, like me, that are dying to get our hands on it and she graciously agreed to not only give us a sneak peek but she offered to give away a copy of Ruining Me and Ruining You to two lucky winners!

Eeep! I am so excited!!

Title: Ruining Me

Author: Nicole Reed

Series: Book One

Published: September 26, 2012

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:

Eighteen year old Jay Stevenson is living a horrible nightmare.

Two years ago she had the world in the palm of her hand and in one moment it was all ruined for her. Secrets, lies and the worst imaginable betrayal will haunt her for the next two years, until all of it catches up to her and she will lose the control of the lonely world she has built around herself.

Three guys from her past and present will be there when it all comes crashing down. JT the perfect boyfriend she never wanted to give up, Rhye the local bad boy “rock star” that made her forget the past and Kane the funny and sweet tattooed bartender that wants her future.

Is it possible to change the path she chose for herself and still keep all of her secrets?

 Title: Ruining You

Author: Nicole Reed

Series: Sequel to Ruining Me

Published: Jan. 29, 2013

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:

For a girl who dared to tempt death, living is the only promise that matters now.  

Jay’s life almost came to a forced end when her deepest, darkest secrets were revealed and the one who she decided to give her future to was ripped away.  Now everyone knows what happened in her horrific past, but not everyone is glad she survived.  Someone wants her to complete the path that she chose from the beginning, while another is determined she choose a different one. 
In the conclusion to Ruining Me, Kane and Rhye know that Jay is worth the fight, but waiting for her to find herself may ruin them all.

About the Author:

 Nicole Reed can be found at or watching a football game for most of the year. The rest of the year you can find me hauling kids all over the great state of Georgia for baseball or gymnastics practice. When I get a second for myself, you will find me hidden somewhere in my house (I’m not giving my hidey hole away) with my ear buds in, a kindle in my hand with my laptop and phone sprawled on my lap. I’m a multi-tasker YO. I’m a serious music junky and listen to anything and everything.

Facebook Page:

www.facebook.com/ruiningme

Author Website:

 http://nicolreed.wordpress.com/

Teaser Excerpt for Ruining You:

A guttural groan escapes him, and his hand tightens in my hair, exposing my neck. Placing his mouth in the middle of my throat, he beings to suck. The gentle open-mouth suction causes my body to tighten like a vice. I whimper, not from the pain, but from the intense pleasure that spreads throughout my body.

Bringing my lips to his, I whisper into his mouth, “Touch me.” Sticking my wet tongue out, I trace his lips before letting it slip inside his mouth and out again.

“Damn,” he gasps as a quake racks his body. The intensity of the moment claims us as we ravage each other’s mouths. Lip to lip and tongue to tongue, he breathes for me. Reaching down with his large hands, he pulls up the hem of my dress and grabs my ass. A low moan flows from me. The brick wall scrapes my back as he lifts me to step deeper between my thighs. It’s a welcome pain.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I anchor myself to him. My lips fall from his for only a second before he grunts in displeasure and reconnects with me again. I feel his fingers tickle the inside of one thigh as they move closer to where my inner fire burns. The anticipation fuels the inferno within me, making my blood boil and leaving me panting for him.

My Thoughts and Review:

I wanted to read this the moment I put down Ruining Me with a tearful face and a broken heart. I didn't want Jay's story to be over. I wasn't ready for it in any sense of the word.

So like many others after a wonderful story has ended, I waited anxiously for the sequel to come out. Constantly checking for updates on the author's blog (sorry Nicole, I did stalk you there for a bit!) and eagerly soaking up any little teaser's she provided and longing for more.

Ruining Me was such a beautifully heartbreaking story. Beautifully told and beautifully handled. I was in shock with the ending and I felt so close to Jay that I felt her anguish and pain and I wanted to do something, anything to make it better for her. And, if I am being completely honest here (and heck why not, I just admitted to stalking Nicole's blog) I was even a little mad at Nicole for causing Jay so much pain. But even though I was mad at her, I had faith in her as a writer that she would make it all better in Ruining You. I had hope that Jay would get a happily ever after just like I wanted her to have.

I still had hope. But above all else, I just knew this was going to be one kick butt read and I was ready this time, with a box of tissues in hand to let the journey begin.

I wish I could say that this one didn't break my heart, but the truth is, it did. Jay broke my heart. The guilt and pain that she felt. The sorrow, her sorrow. But you know what? She grows. Oh how she grows.

Eli: “Don’t let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.”

Ah Eli. Eli is amazing. That quote alone should tell you how wonderful he is. For awhile there I didn't want to like him because, well, because I thought maybe we were going to get some competition with Kane going on and to be honest, I love Kane and I really didn't want a love triangle in this one even if I knew there more than likely was going to be one with Rhye (which, again, he really is a great guy too!). I just wanted Kane to win and I was ready to dislike anyone that stood in his way this time.

But Eli, is just Eli and he is fabulous and it was hard not to fall in love with him. He was the perfect support for Jay in every way and exactly what she needed when she needed it. His corny jokes cracked me up and really I just loved everything about him. I don't want to give anything away with him but I will say this, if things were different with him and with Jay, he actually is the one person I wouldn't have minded seeing her with, he really was that fantastic and supportive..

If Kane hadn't won me over in Ruining Me, then he most certainly would have in this one. He was so sweet and good. I was rooting for him the whole entire time. I don't think anyone else could have been better for Jay. Really he was everything she needed in a friend, companion, lover and so much more.

He stole my heart.

Nicole did such a fabulous job showing Jay's pain, her depression, her anguish and how she pieced herself back together again. This book is full of amazing character, from her parents to Reed and Molly and the ever reliable and absolutely hot Kane, Eli, Cal and Rhye. I really don't think I could ask for a better cast of characters.

This story tore at my heart, broke it into a million pieces and then glues it whole again. I think I felt almost ever emotion imaginable with reading this. Nicole is truly a talented author that has done a stupendous job handling some very real, hard and raw issues and bringing it all together to create a beautiful story about one girls journey to take back her life and be the nest that she can be.

I couldn't of asked for a better ending. Just beautiful!

If I could give this 10 stars I would.

Giveaway:

 

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