Today is a book blurb blitz tour stop for the new adult novel, Beside Your Heart, by Mary Whitney.
Mary will be awarding one big package of 3 signed paperbacks
of her books to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment below. If you’d like to increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.
of her books to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment below. If you’d like to increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too.
Blurb:
“It’s an emotional story that will take the
reader back to those feelings that made the late teen years such a powerful
time.”
reader back to those feelings that made the late teen years such a powerful
time.”
Late one night Nicki Johnson plays with
emotional fire and Googles her high school love, only to find his name splashed
across the British gossip columns. Back in his native England, Adam Kincaid is
successful and dating a woman from an aristocratic family like his own. With a
career in politics, Nicki’s no slouch, but she knows Adam is living a world
away from her life.
Yet there was a time he was no farther than the
next locker. Nicki will never forget their year together in high school—the
year of her sister’s death, the year her mother checked out. Adam helped Nicki
through suffocating grief, and she led him through a coming of age. Was it just
high school, or was it something more?
Excerpt:
“No British literature. Isn’t this supposed
to be an English class?” Adam asked.
to be an English class?” Adam asked.
“Uh.” My ancestors would’ve been proud of the
jolt of American patriotism that hit me.
“There was a revolution two hundred years ago. We write our own books
now.”
jolt of American patriotism that hit me.
“There was a revolution two hundred years ago. We write our own books
now.”
He leaned back in his seat with a smile. “I
think I heard about that.”
think I heard about that.”
“We still share the same language.”
“Sometimes I’m not too sure.”
“I bet not.” I could imagine what he thought
of a Texas accent.
of a Texas accent.
He
picked up the list of books again. “What
about Catcher in the Rye?”
picked up the list of books again. “What
about Catcher in the Rye?”
“I read it a long time
ago when I was, like, eleven.” I laughed a little
as I
remembered how I’d first come to read it.
ago when I was, like, eleven.” I laughed a little
as I
remembered how I’d first come to read it.
“Is there
something funny about that?”
something funny about that?”
“Yeah. My father had suggested I read it then. The book is the classic coming-of-age story. Clearly, he wasn’t really thinking
about whether or not it was appropriate for
an eleven-year–old.”
about whether or not it was appropriate for
an eleven-year–old.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, for one thing, the main character is a
guy who swears a lot.”
guy who swears a lot.”
“I suppose I swear a lot.” He cracked a sly
smile. “At least compared to you Yankees.”
smile. “At least compared to you Yankees.”
“Yankees? You’re in the South.” I laughed.
“What else is inappropriate about the book?
Now I’m interested. It can’t only be a few swear words.”
Now I’m interested. It can’t only be a few swear words.”
“No, it’s not just that. It’s…” I hesitated
for a moment as I realized I was about to bring up the topic of sex with Adam
Kincaid. What the hell, I thought. I
should be matter-of-fact about it. He had a girlfriend and would never want
anything with me. I could hide I thought he was hot, so I shrugged. “Holden,
the main character…he’s a little sexually frustrated.”
for a moment as I realized I was about to bring up the topic of sex with Adam
Kincaid. What the hell, I thought. I
should be matter-of-fact about it. He had a girlfriend and would never want
anything with me. I could hide I thought he was hot, so I shrugged. “Holden,
the main character…he’s a little sexually frustrated.”
His eyes twinkled, and it felt as if my words
hung in the air. I wanted to squirm in my seat. ‘Sexually frustrated’—like me checking out Adam Kincaid.
hung in the air. I wanted to squirm in my seat. ‘Sexually frustrated’—like me checking out Adam Kincaid.
His proper upbringing showed again as he
sidestepped the issue, yet he smirked. “That sounds like an adventurous book to
be on an American high school syllabus.”
sidestepped the issue, yet he smirked. “That sounds like an adventurous book to
be on an American high school syllabus.”
“Like I said—it’s considered an American
classic.” I laughed. “I guess some things are sacred.”
classic.” I laughed. “I guess some things are sacred.”
“But of course.” The gleam appeared in his
eye again, and he turned toward me in his seat. “Teenage sexual frustration is
sort of a rite of passage, if you will.”
eye again, and he turned toward me in his seat. “Teenage sexual frustration is
sort of a rite of passage, if you will.”
There went the good-English-boy manners out
the window. His tone, the look in his eye, his body language—was he flirting
with or taunting me? I decided the former was impossible, and if the latter, I
wasn’t going to back down. With two parents who were lawyers, debate was a
family routine.
the window. His tone, the look in his eye, his body language—was he flirting
with or taunting me? I decided the former was impossible, and if the latter, I
wasn’t going to back down. With two parents who were lawyers, debate was a
family routine.
“A rite of passage? More like a biological
fact, isn’t it?” I asked, casually clicking my pen. I raised a brow.
“Especially for guys.”
fact, isn’t it?” I asked, casually clicking my pen. I raised a brow.
“Especially for guys.”
“You’re right about that,” he said with a
grin.
grin.
Author information:
Even before she graduated from law school, Mary
knew she wasn’t cut out to be a real lawyer. Drawn to politics, she’s spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist, and
nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political
scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two
together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of
Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters
and real lawyer husband.
knew she wasn’t cut out to be a real lawyer. Drawn to politics, she’s spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist, and
nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political
scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two
together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of
Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters
and real lawyer husband.
Thank you!
thank you for hosting
I love the premise of the story! Thanks for the excerpt, Mary!
falses1gns(at)gmail(dot)com
Nice blurb
bn100candg at hotmail dot com