NA Crush Tourney #14: Team Eric Young!

NA Alley

Hey ya'll! I have some exciting news for you guys. Today, I get to show off one of my main men in NA Lit, Eric Young from Faith Sullivan's awesome Take Me Now series. I LOVE THIS SERIES! I just had to say it, because it's just all kinds of amazing, fun, and swoon-worthy. Eric Young is just that hot and if you haven't read the first book, Take Me Now, you can get it for free on Amazon, Smashwords, and iBooks. (Is that not a deal or what?!) So, if you haven't had the chance to meet this amazingly gorgeous and hot guy, he's here today along with Ivy, his smokin' hot girlfriend. 

Me: So Eric, let’s just jump right into our interview.  The first thing I’d like to know is this: what made you decide to become the owner of a garden center? I mean, it seems like a lot of hard work with not a ton of pay…

Eric: I’m living my dream so I can’t complain.  Well, maybe not everything is the way I’d like it to be, but I’m running my own business—something I’ve wanted to do since before I can remember.  I love being outdoors, and I learned everything I know about horticulture from Gram who won first place in the county fair every year for her rose bushes.  Making a living off things that grow is in my blood.

Me: Well, I can see why you care about it so much.  My next question is for Ivy.  I realize, when you first met Eric, it was under some pretty stressful circumstances.  After Lauren told you what Eric did after your first meeting, what did you think about him?

Ivy: I couldn’t believe Eric was even listening to half the things I rambled on about when he drove me back to my stranded car.  I was impressed he took the initiative to come to the theater’s rescue…It made me all tingly inside to know that we might have more in common than I thought.  He was older, way out of my league, and not to mention totally hot.  He carried me like I weighed nothing more than a feather.  I thought, “He must be strong from all of the manual labor he does around the garden center.  I could so fall for a man who works with his hands.  I bet they’re skilled in other areas as well.” (Ivy’s cheeks are getting a little pink!)

Me: So, Eric, I know you already told Ivy this once, but I think all of the ladies out there (including me!) would like to know: what’s your idea of a perfect date?

Eric: *A slow grin takes over his face*   I guess it’d be a stormy night with the rain tumbling down the roof and splashing up against the windows.  We’d relax in our sweats or pajamas or whatever in front of the TV, watching old movies and eating popcorn.  We’d be curled up in front of the fire, and I’d kiss her whenever a blast of thunder would rattle the foundation.  But before things went too far, I’d go upstairs and run a bubble bath surrounded by candles.  I’d call out to her, and she’d come looking for me only to find me already waiting in the tub.  She’d take off her clothes, letting me watch until she was completely naked.  I’d start to rise out of the water to go to her but she’d push me back among the suds as she joined me.  Do you need me to go on?

Me: *swooning* (Yes, please!) *fanning myself* Well, Eric, I think that says a lot about you…and it’s no wonder Ivy is in love with you!  Now Eric, there was a beautiful moment you had with Ivy, once you found her after she left (and punched a certain somebody)…can you tell us about it?

Eric: God, I had missed her so much.  My hands were still numb from punching that certain somebody, but somehow I found the courage to meet her eyes.  Her hair hadn’t been combed and her face was all tear-stained, but she had never looked more beautiful. Looking at her, I said, “You are my heart now.  Whatever happens to you happens to me.” We had been through so much together, and with everything that threatened to come between us, my love for her only grew stronger. I don't feel complete without her. I was missing a part of myself until she entered my life. She's the one who made me feel whole.

Me: *still swooning over here* Eric, you have got to be one of the most wonderful men I’ve ever read, and Ivy is a lucky woman.  I think we’ve got time for one more question…When did it first hit you that Ivy was the one?

Eric: It was the day we met when she hopped up next to me on the seat of my truck. I took a second to enjoy the moment. A girl hadn't ridden next to me in quite some time. My dog Shep, hearing the engine roar to life, came running with the heel of Ivy's shoe in his mouth. Ivy took one look at Shep and lost it. She was laughing so hard that she was practically crying. There was something about her laugh that made me want to join in. She reached out to give him a scratch behind the ears. He usually doesn't let people touch his head, but he seemed to like Ivy. And I kinda liked her too. The warmth of her touch combined with the sweetness of her voice left my head spinning. I felt myself falling for her. I know I wouldn't have minded staying parked with her from now until eternity.

Me: Wow.  Seriously Ivy, you are the most blessed woman in the world to have this man in your life.  Thank you both for being here today, and I hope we can do this again sometime!

Things readers have said about Eric in their reviews from this trilogy…

1. Considerate

2. Thoughtful

3. HOT

4. Sentimental

5. Real-Life/Believable

6. Good Guy

7. Will do ANYTHING for the woman he loves

8. Honest/Trustworthy

9. Sweet

10. Swoon-Worthy

11. Successful/Hard-Working

12. A Worry-Wart

13. Protective (Maybe Overprotective) :D

14. Rugged

15. Vulnerable

16. Did I mention HOT?!

Eric is just that kind of guy that girls fall head over feet for, he's that swoon-worthy. Trust me, I tell you no lies. (Now, who wants to help me bump off Ivy?! LOL. J/K. Or ya know, not!). 

SO, I think you know what to do…get over to NA Alley and vote for Eric!  And be sure to spread the word to all your friends, family acquaintances, coworkers…well, you get the idea.   

Be sure to use #Manic4Eric & #NACrushTourney14!

In the meantime let tell you a little bit more about the books and also about the author behind the books and where you can find her at. She has another series that I absolutely love to pieces, the Heartbeat series, which was one of my first NA series that I read. Faith Sullivan is such a sweet person and talented author, you're bound to fall in love with Eric Young the way that I did and also enjoy her other books, as well. So, how about I tell you a little about the Take Me Now series and you can decide for yourself! :)

Take Me Now #1
Faith Sullivan

How do you survive the internship from hell?

Don't fall in love.

Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy's boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.

But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it's been a while since he's shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy's rescue out of the blue, it's not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren's back. When they get caught, Ivy's journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.

Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.

Meant for Me #2
Faith Sullivan

Eric thought he had forever...before. 

Divided between reliving the past and embracing his new life with Ivy, Eric fears that love will once again be ripped from his grasp. Having faith in the future is hard. So many things can go wrong.

Ivy is convinced that what they have is meant to be...but no one can escape the wheel of fate.

Her love for Eric and the life they're creating make every sacrifice seem worthwhile. Until she's forced to reveal the truth surrounding her delicate condition. Even if it shatters his hope.

Can they hold onto their newfound happiness or are events already in motion to keep them apart?

Hold Me Tight #3
Faith Sullivan

He loves me. He loves me not.

Ivy's heart shatters upon hearing Eric's crushing ultimatum. Despite how much she cares for him, she won't give in to his demands. She has no choice but to leave, even if it's the hardest thing she's ever had to do. 

She loves me. She loves me not.

When Ivy walks out, Eric can't help feeling betrayed. Unwilling to put her at risk, he values her safety above all else. By refusing to compromise, he's blindsided when she moves in with a man who's already stolen so much from him.

I love you. You love me not.

Lauren sees Eric and Ivy's split as an opportunity to end their relationship once and for all. When Ivy places herself at the mercy of Eric's rival, Lauren plots to destroy the fragile tie binding them together, even if she endangers Ivy's life in the process.

Sounds good to you doesn't it, yeah?!

So then...GO READ IT NOW!

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Faith Sullivan really hates to talk about herself and she has this goal of having the shortest author bio imaginable to readers. But, here are a few things I do know about  her: She's sweet, kind, honest, and incredibly talented. She's written the Heartbeat series and the Take Me Now series. You can also find her on Goodreads, too. 

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR ERIC YOUNG TODAY!

TWEET, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM! BUT...

MOST OF ALL GO OVER TO NA ALLEY AND VOTE!!!

Book Review: As You Turn Away (The Walker Boys #1) by Molli Moran

As You Turn Away
The Walker Boys #1
Molli Moran
Published: March 1, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Age Demographic: New Adult Romance
Pages: 256

"Two hearts, one life-changing summer, and a long-awaited second chance..."

When Quinnlan Reynolds left home at 18, she escaped her small, Georgia town and her suffocating upbringing. She started a new life as a ballerina, and tasted freedom for the first time. But four years later, her first visit home turns tragic. Reeling, Quinn tries to piece her life back together again. But doing so is easier said than done when sexy Jonah Walker saunters back into her life. 

Quinn shattered Jonah’s heart once, so getting involved with her isn’t something he’s sure he’s ready to do again. He became someone he didn’t recognize when he left home. He’s spent the last years burying his pain by keeping everyone in his life at arm’s length. Now he needs to get to know his family again, and finally become who he wants to be. 

But neither Quinn or Jonah can stay away from each other, especially when old feelings resurface. Something is pulling them back together, and they can’t deny their chemistry for long. One Georgia summer could change both their lives forever, if they can work through their past to have a future together. 

To Purchase your own copy of As You Turn Away 

by Molli Moran please visit: Amazon & B&N

(Note: I purchased my own digital copy of this book from Amazon, but I also received a digital galley of this book for review from Molli Moran in exchange for an honest review. This review reflects my own honest views and thoughts on this lovely book.)

Beautifully written and full of emotion, As You Turn Away, will leave you breathless. Charmingly sweet and romantic, you'll find yourself getting wrapped up in such a gorgeous love story brimming with self-discovery, courage, and bravery.

If you haven't read As You Turn Away yet, then I urge you all to pick a copy of this gorgeous novel. I promise you will not be disappointed by this inspiring and captivating story full of love, hope, and forgiveness. There is so much compassion stitched within these pages, so filled with wonder, amazement, self-discovery, and healing. Author Molli Moran, has truly out done herself, with her debut New Adult novel. This is contemporary romance written in its best form.

As You Turn Away, will remind you of a time when you are just starting to come into your own and really begin to learn what it's like to experience life on the cusp of adulthood. It is a time in reader's lives when things are both exhilarating and terrifying, but also full of so many changes and challenges. Emotionally stunning and so full of hope and life, As You Turn Away, will move you in ways unimaginable and shake your soul to the core. Exploring the bond of true friendship, healing precious family bonds, and learning to be a better version of yourself are strong elements that are gorgeously woven into the fabric of this beautiful novel.

I believe in hope and faith, putting my heart into a better place, and becoming the best version of myself that I can be just as Quinn and Jonah do so well in this story. I couldn't have done any of these things without the hope and love and encouragement that I have received from some special people in my life. Those special people who come in the form of memorable characters such as Quinn and Jonah.

So, if you're looking for a novel that will move you, inspire in amazing ways, tell you it is ok to let go, that it's ok to be different, that you are good enough being who you are, delivers a message of hope and forgiveness, shows heart and compassion, then As You Turn Away by the lovely and brilliantly talented Molli Moran is that book you will want to read time and time again, over and over.

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Molli is a Southern writer who doesn't consider her day complete if she hasn't written. She loves coffee and talking fast, things she attributes to being raised by Gilmore Girls. She's a romantic at heart, and brings that to her books. When not reading or blogging, she can be found obsessing over Doctor Who, cuddling her various pets, or spending time with friends, family, or her girlfriend. 

If you need to reach her for any reason - especially if you want to talk books, or theorize about Doctor Who, you can send her an email or tweet her!

Wishful Wednesday featuring One Song Away by Molli Moran

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every two weeks or so, I'll pick a topic or genre and list a few upcoming books (or book) that I'm anticipating the release for. This week, that book is going to be One Song Away by the amazingly talented and wonderful Molli Moran. I will read ANYTHING that she writes! Molli has this wonderful ability to write stories and characters that will tug at your heart strings and make you swoon with crazy feels. She is definitely on my auto-buy list, for sure! So, stay tuned into the blog, because there will be a review for another title by her (As You Turn Away (The Walker Boys #1) which is her debut NA southern romance novel that she released earlier this year. If you haven't had the chance to snag your own copy of it yet and read, then head on over to your closest Amazon, B&N, or even Molli's Website where you can order it and request a signed copy of it. 

One Song Away by Molli Moran

Expected Publication: 2014

Publisher: Self

Age Demographic: NA Romance (Mature+)

Sophie-Claire Wright's life is going downhill at warp speed. Her songwriting career isn't taking off like she hoped, she keeps running into her cheating ex, and her roommate just kicked her out of their apartment. Running out of options -- and money -- Sophie does the one thing she vowed she'd never do: she moves home. Home where instead of being a free spirit, she's still thought of as a rebel.

Life moves at a slower pace in Sophie's blink-and-you'll-miss-it hometown, but her well-meaning, matchmaking mother doesn't have a slow gear. Sophie invents a boyfriend to hold off an endless stream of bachelors, but she's out of luck when her mom demands to meet Sophie's non-existent boyfriend. Luckily for Sophie, Jake Cooper owes her a favor. Jake -- who stole her heart a long time ago, and is as charming and dangerous as ever.

Sophie is sure she'll be able to resist Jake this time (and his smile, and his abs, and his...everything,) and that their fake relationship will keep them both away from wagging tongues. Just because she was half in love with him years ago doesn't mean she'll fall for him now... But she didn't bargain for moments that feel all too real. And she didn't count on mutual old feelings resurfacing and complicating their arrangement -- which is starting to feel less like acting and more like the real deal.

To Sign-Up to be a Member of the As You Turn Away Street Team visit Molli Moran's Blog Here!

Molli Moran

Website Twitter Facebook 

Molli Moran is a Southern writer who doesn't consider her day complete if she hasn't written. She loves coffee and talking fast, things she attributes to being raised by Gilmore Girls. She's a romantic at heart, and brings that to her books. When not reading or blogging, she can be found obsessing over Doctor Who, cuddling her various pets, or spending time with friends, family, or her girlfriend. 

If you need to reach her for any reason - especially if you want to talk books, or theorize about Doctor Who, you can send her an email or tweet her!

BOOK REVIEW: EYES EVER TO THE SKY BY KATIE FRENCH

Eyes Ever to the Sky by Katie French

Published: April 9, 2013

Publisher: Self-Published

Age Demographic: YA Sci-Fi Fantasy

Pages: 192

When Hugh wakes up in a smoldering crater—no memory, no clothes—a single thought echoes in his head…trust no one. Frightened and alone, with no memory of who he is, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and is fatally shot. He wakes, only to find he can heal himself. He has superpowers, and he’s going to need them.

Desperate and bleeding, Hugh stumbles upon fifteen-year-old Cece, who’s got enough troubles of her own. Between caring for her bipolar mother and trying not to get evicted from her run-down trailer, Cece may be the only person struggling as much as Hugh. Drawn to Hugh, Cece finds a love she’s never known. But when the real killer—a man-hunting beast—chooses another victim, Hugh and Cece realize they must unlock the clues to their past if they have any chance at a future.

To Purchase Eyes Ever to the Sky by Katie French: Amazon

Eyes Ever to the Sky is a quick read with potential for an interesting plot and likable characters. Conceptually it was inspired in some ways, but in other's I tend to feel as if it kind of missed the mark a little bit. Katie French's writing style is one where the reader will either like or not, making it a bit hard to enjoy the book as one normally would. It isn't uninspired by any means necessarily, but it is or was actually harder for me to really connect with the characters on an emotional level, in the way that I normally love to while reading. They just seemed to need a bit more tweaking, a little more development, and backstory to balance things out.

Novels, such as Eyes Ever to the Sky, are ones that I typically fall for and it was a bit of a let down when this one didn't live up to my expectations. I don't know, maybe I had set them a little too high, but this book just didn't seem to pull me in as much as I hoped it would have. The characters were slightly interesting, but there wasn't enough development there for me to really easily connect with them in the way that I would have normally liked to. I found the sci-fi elements of this novel to be a bit lacking as well, or well, I don't know if that's the right word to use or not. I wanted more of an explanation regarding Hugh, more of an understanding regarding him and his people.

The whirlwind romance that seemed to form rather quickly between Cece and Hugh, was another thing that seemed to put me off as far as this novel is concerned. I can't say that I'm a big fan of insta-love, in any capacity, which is another reason that I gave this book a lower rating than I normally would have. I have a feeling that if French would have just slowed down the quick romance and focused more on developing the characters, introducing background knowledge, and building the potential even higher for the premise of this novel that it would have been a lot more enjoyable than I personally found it to be.

On the whole, the beginning of this novel, started out as a promising and intriguing read. Soon after that, though, it started to tumble down hill for me. However, with that being said, I have to point to some obvious goodness that did come out of this book, like the beautiful prose that lent itself to some pretty imagery. French definitely has a way with words and they helped to paint a chillingly dark and scary atmosphere that evoked some intense feels from me while reading certain parts of the novel. I did enjoy, that while amidst the bleak and dreary atmosphere, there was also some wonderfully beautiful and intensely poetic vivid details brought to light that may have otherwise been missed.

Eyes Ever to the Sky was an enjoyable book, it just wasn't the novel that I was expecting to blow me away, when I read the promising synopsis. Again, perhaps, I expected too much out of this novel. The thing is, I really wanted to be blown away, I wanted it to be better than it was. The dark and dreary paranormal aspect, the sci-fi elements, those were all filled with so much potential that I feel just wasn't tapped as much as it should have been. Perhaps, Katie French, will continue this story and the sophomore novel will be better, maybe Eyes Ever to the Sky will turn out to be like City of Bones or The Vampire Academy and will function as the book that sets up the premise to what could potentially be a fantastic new young adult paranormal sci-fi trilogy. In any case, this is what I am hoping, and I will definitely be sticking around for the second book in the trilogy, to see if the background and development that I was so craving in this novel shows up in the next one. I don't want to give up on what could turn out to be a really intriguing series.

For those who enjoy quick, fast paced paranormal romance, I would say to go ahead and give this book a chance, and then decide for yourself what you make of it.

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Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English. Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she's ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children.