Blurb:
Everything
done in darkness, will eventually be brought into the light.
I
ran, but all it did was keep me one step ahead of my past. I tried to
start over; new name, new identity. But you can't change your soul.
A
fresh start at college was just what I needed. For a while, it
worked. I was the party girl, the one that seemed confident, but it
was a lie.
When
guys kissed me--I felt only pain.
When
they touched me--Nothing but fear.
Deep
inside, every girl wants to be the beauty in the story, to find
someone that will see you as their world.
But
the truth? I was the beast. And as much as I wanted redemption, I
wasn't fool enough to think I'd ever get it.
Until
he walked into my life.
I
wasn't prepared to fall for someone. My scars were too deep, the
wounds too raw. But he offered me peace, he offered me security. I
should have known it was just another lie--I should have known that
falling in love with my professor was a bad idea.
But
I was powerless to stop myself from falling.
And
he was powerless to catch me.
Because
the darkness finally caught up to me, and as fate would have it, a
cruel twist almost bled me dry. But I'm stronger than I knew. I'm
stronger than you think.
You
think you know my story, but you don't....after all everyone has
Shame in their lives-- and I'm no longer afraid to show you mine.
GOODREADS:
BUYLINKS:
Excerpt
I
closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against hers. A shaky breath
escaped her lips. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Are
you trying to prepare me or ask permission?” she whispered, her
voice beckoning me like a siren’s call.
“Both.”
My lips hovered near hers. “I figure it’s only fair.”
“Fair?”
She pulled back slightly. “How so?”
“Ten
thousand.” I angled my head and watched the pulse jump on her neck.
“That’s how many nerve endings, on average, are in your lips.
Consequently, when your body anticipates pleasure, the build-up is
the best part. Imagine, those ten thousand nerves are swelling,
allowing blood to surge through them in anticipation of… what?” I
swept my tongue across her lower lip and whispered, “Of being
touched. I ask permission, not because I’m being a gentleman. It’s
actually the complete opposite. I ask permission so your brain
anticipates the pleasure before I’ve ever even touched you.”
I
tasted her lower lip again and abruptly dipped my tongue into her
mouth. Then just as quickly retreated. “The human body is an
instrument. Know how to master it… and well…” I let my voice
drop as I moved my hands slowly to her shoulders and tugged her body
flush against mine. Our mouths met softly at first. I deepened the
kiss, memorizing her taste, knowing I wouldn’t experience a kiss
like this again in my lifetime. The way her scent, her soft moans
destroyed my body, wrecked me from the deepest part of me, was
nothing short of life-altering.
And
I’d like to think I’d kissed a lot of women.
I’d
studied the psychology of sexuality.
I
was an expert in pleasure.
But
she was schooling me, absolutely wreaking havoc on every logical
thought as her soft whimper cascaded over me. Blood surged through my
body as it tightened with awareness at her proximity.
She
pulled back, her lips swollen. “That was… not a good enough
warning.”
Laughing
softly, I cupped the back of her head and gently drew it toward mine
and kissed her again, angling my lips differently, searching her,
consuming her, drawing pleasure from her lips as if it was my life
goal to discover every single secret she owned.
Her
arms wrapped around my neck. She was shy; she didn’t push against
me, didn’t wrap her legs around me or moan into my mouth like I was
having sex with her rather than kissing her.
My
hands moved down her corset to her hips, and I lifted her into the
air and walked her backward toward the brick wall. The whole time,
our masks collided. In frustration, I ripped hers off, then mine. The
shadows of moonlight hid our faces as I kissed her harder, losing
myself in her.
Her
nails dug at the back of my neck as she jerked my head harder.
Groaning, I let her fall to the ground as I placed my hands on the
brick wall to keep myself from ripping the dress from her body.
Shouting
started from the ballroom.
“Ten,
nine…!”
“Eight,”
I whispered against her mouth. “Seven.”
“Six.”
She sighed, her breathing labored as her tongue found mine again.
“Five.”
“Four,
three.” I pulled back and trailed kisses down her neck.
“Two.”
We
broke apart, both breathing heavy. “One.”
People
burst out onto the balcony as the fireworks started, lighting up the
sky. And our faces.
And
the only thing I could say as she gasped in horror was “Oh, shit.”
My Review
Shame was so unexpected and I loved it. I believe you can read this as a Standalone but it may spoil for the other characters if you still have their stories to read.
Emotional and mental abuse is a very serious issue and this book really goes about pointing that out. I probably should have hated Lisa but I never could. I felt sorry for her and my heart ached for her. Lisa made the mistake of meeting and falling for Taylor. Taylor is so very sick. Now that he's gone, Lisa still can't get him out of her head or her life. There were a few plots in the story that I had guessed pretty early and then a few that I wish had been expanded on.
I really liked Tristian but I think I would have liked to know more about him. I'm greedy that way :) I feel like the professor aspect of the story could have been developed a little more it just seemed kind of thrown in there. That being said there were a lot of twists and turns in this book and a lot of build up. I was thrown at the end. There is one scene in the beginning that doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and I really wish it had been developed more. All in all this was a good read and I couldn't put it down!
★★★½ 3.5 stars!
About the Author:
Rachel
Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today
Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's
not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and
plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
LINKS:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RachVD
No comments:
Post a Comment