Alexis
doesn’t believe in fairytales. She knows first hand that life can turn on a
dime – that one stupid mistake can shatter dreams and irrevocably shape the
future. Even though her memory of that day is hazy, she has spent the last ten
years trying to put it behind her and focus on the future.
Armed
with the knowledge that her career will be her only legacy, Alexis works night
and day to prove that she is more than just her last name. It’s not only that
she doesn’t have time for love – she doesn’t have the heart for it. After all,
there’s no point in starting something that you can’t finish.
However,
when she meets Adam, she’s drawn to him in a way even she can’t deny. The film
student is dark and brooding and strangely charming. He’s the perfect
distraction from the mundane life she’s created for herself. And, as if fate is
pushing them together, he seems to be around every corner. It’s enough to
almost make her entirely forget about her past and take a chance.
Unfortunately,
Adam’s memory isn’t hazy . . . not in the least. And, what she doesn’t
remember, he can’t forget.
Alexis in an up and
coming lawyer. To say that she is a workaholic would be a major understatement.
She is at the beck and call of work 24/7, and most nights, she can be found
working late at the office. She is happy with the direction of her life. She
doesn’t do relationships due to a past accident. She works, hangs out with her
best friend, Ethan, from time to time, and hangs out at home with her cat,
Rubber Cat. As we get deeper into the story, we see that she is actually more
than just work. She is kind hearted, generous, and can actually be fun. She is
also a Big Sister to a girl named Lizzie. Outside of work, she is Allie’s
priority. Adam changes her perspective of life.
Adam is somewhat
damaged. He wants revenge and he wants it on Allie. Unfortunately for him, he
is a great guy and revenge doesn’t come easily for him. There are several sides
to Adam and I think the author did an amazing job portraying his different
moods. There are so many things that I enjoyed about him, but his wit/sense of
humor tops the list for me. He is constantly wearing t-shirts with funny
saying. He is also constantly sending Allie gifts with some sort of witty line on
the cards.
This book is written in
the dual perspectives of, you guessed it, Alexis and Adam. The author did a
really good job with both sides of the story. Allie is a pretty consistent and
predictable character, but she is very likeable. She did have some growth,
though. I am glad that she came out of the box that she had stuffed herself
into. She didn’t believe that love was in the cards for her, so she just
avoided it. Adam helps her come out of her shell and to move on from the past.
In return, he finally starts to live again. While I liked Allie, I really liked
Adam’s parts of the story more. We watch him transform from full of hate to
full of love. It’s a gradual transition and we get to witness it every step of
the way.
This isn’t just a love
story. Remembering Joy started out as a story of revenge, but ended as a story
about acceptance and forgiveness. I can’t wait to read book 2 in the series,
Finding Joy.
Adam
and Ethan Interview
Hi,
guys. I’m very happy to have you on my blog today. Let’s play
a little ice breaker game. Empty out your pockets.
Ethan
stands and digs through the pockets of his dress pants. He pulls out two
things: an obviously expensive money clip, monogrammed with his initials and
flush with cash, and a condom. Adam retrieves a beat up wallet from the
back pocket of his ratty jeans and a set of keys.
Wow.
You boys are some light travelers. Show me what you’ve got.
“Sex and money,” Ethan says
unapologetically. “What else is there?”
He
unabashedly grabs Adam’s beat up wallet and rifles through it.
“Looks like all he has is twenty-six
bucks, a subway pass, and … wait …. what’s this? A hunting license.
Are you from Texas?”
Adam
shrugs. “Yeah, so?”
Ethan’s
eyes narrow as he processes this new bit of information.
[I
pick up the donkey keychain.] This is nice. Is there a story here?
“Yeah,
a certain funny lady gave it to me when she gave me the key to her apartment.
Said it was a bad ass key chain for my bad ass car.”
“She gave you the key to
her apartment?” Ethan asks incredulously. “I’ve never even been in it.”
I
think we need to change the subject. Adam, everyone knows how much you
love your car. Tell me about it.
“She’s
a 1967 Shelby GT 500 … a replica of a Super Snake with more modern parts. She
has an aluminum 427FE engine that was bored and stroked to 482ci. with a T Trim
Vortech supercharger.”
Was
that even English?
“That’s
what Allie said, too,” he says with a small smile. “You want to go for a
drive when we’re done here? I’ll show you what she can do.”
I
would! Now, tell me about your shirts. They are hilarious.
Adam
looks down at his t-shirt and chuckles. A parrot is splayed across his
chest. Underneath it is the phrase, ‘Cracka, please.’ “I have quite
a collection. This is one of Allie’s favorites.”
“Hey, I’m feeling a little
left out here,” Ethan says.
Okay well,
I know you both like to talk about Alexis. So, what three words describe
her best.
“This is an easy one,”
Ethan says. “Confident, driven, and emotionally unavailable.”
Adam
looks at Ethan and just blinks. “Beautiful, funny, and scared,” he adds.
That’s
interesting. It almost sounds like you are talking about different
people. Who’s known her the longest?
Ethan jumps in quickly.
“I have. We’ve been together all of our adult lives.”
Adam
looks at Ethan with murder in his eyes. “I think that’s a little
misleading, counselor.”
How
about you, Adam?
“I
just recently bumped into Allie at a bar that I never should have been at.
Funny, how things happen when you least expect it.”
Well,
who knows her best?
Adam
let’s out a deep breath. “To be honest, I seriously wonder if anyone
really knows Allie at all.”
“Speak for yourself,” Ethan
says. “I have the inside track with Alexis. I know all of her
secrets.”
Adam
rolls his eyes. “I’m sure you think you do.”
You
guys really can’t get along, can you?
“I don’t trust him,” Ethan
says.
“I
just don’t like him,” Adam says.
Okay,
so what are your intensions toward Alexis?
“Alexis and I are just
friends. I mean, there was that one night a few years ago.” Ethan arches
an eyebrow devilishly at Adam, and Adam visibly bristles. “But right now
my only intention is to protect her from this guy.”
Does
she need protecting, Adam?
“I
think Allie has bigger problems than me. Our relationship is complicated,
but we are on the same page.”
Ethan groans. “See.
This is what I mean. He talks in riddles.”
I
notice that you call her ‘Alexis’ and you call her ‘Allie.’
“Her name is Alexis.
She goes by Alexis,” Ethan says and then adds, “Only her dad calls her
‘Allie.’”
Adam
sits up a little straighter. Confidence rolls off him. “She asked
me to call her ‘Allie’. Clearly, she already considers me family. After
five years, I guess you’re just not there yet.”
Is
that the only nickname you have for her?
“I’ve
been known to call her ‘Allie Cat’. But it usually only slips out when
it’s just the two of us. I think the name speaks for itself.”
Ethan growls. “I’ve
got a nickname for him, but I can’t say it in mixed company.”
“You’re
such a woman,” Adam retorts.
All
right, guys. Thanks for the interview. Think I can get that ride
now?
“You
bet. He’s not coming, though.” Adam says, flicking his subway pass at
Ethan. “Here you go. Ride with the least common denominator where you
belong.”
“I wouldn’t ride with you
even if it came with a hooker and a dozen dogs from Gray’s Papaya,” Ethan
snorts.
“See
we really can’t agree on anything. Because a guy from Texas knows
the best dogs are at Lansky’s,” Adam says, sending me a wink and panty- melting
smile.
Locked out of Heaven - Bruno Mars
One more Night - Maroon 5
Stay
- Rihanna
Just Give Me a Reason - Pink
PayPhone - Maroon 5
Madness - Muse
Beneath Your Beautiful - Labrinth
Daylight - Maroon 5
Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
Love Somebody - Maroon 5
When I was Your Man - Bruno Mars
Sad
- Maroon 5
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Sail
- Awolnation
Let's Stay Together - Maroon 5
This Love - Maroon 5
The Man Who Can't be Moved - The Script
Jenni Moen lives in her hometown in Oklahoma with her husband
and three crazy, exuberant kids that have the potential to burn the house down
at any moment.
When she's not chauffeuring kids around town, performing her mom duties as a short order cook and maid, or vacuuming for her fastidious husband, she hammers away at her keyboard at her big girl job as a patent attorney. While vodka and exercise have provided some relief from the daily grind, it is reading ... and now writing ... that are her true escapes.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment