faith andrews

Recensione: First Came You di Faith Andrews

Hola, ho deciso di nuovo di impegnarmi a sfornare recensioni. E, come se questo impegno non fosse sufficiente, mi sono pure letta un libriccino in inglese. 100 pagine, non pensiate che abbia fatto grossi sforzi, ma sono sempre super orgogliosa quando riesco a leggere in lingua senza perdermi d’animo e metterci 6 mesi per un libro. Quindi eccomi qui. Si tratta di una novella, prequel di una serie che ho scoperto grazie a XPresso Book Tours che aveva organizzato un blitz per il secondo libro. Amore sconfinato per le copertine di tutta la serie e quindi stavo aspettando l’input per iniziare. Il titolo del libro è First came you, la serie è Fate di Faith Andrews.
first came you cover
Titolo: First Came You (Fate #0.5)
Autore: Faith Andrews
Disponibile in italiano: No
Goodreads

First comes a nickel,
Then comes a shove,
Then comes loss only conquered by his love.
This is the story of my first true love. The story of how the boy next door protected me, became my best friend, stole my heart, and rescued me from my darkest despair.

 

Come già detto sono 100 pagine. 100 pagine in cui sono concentrati amore e disperazione, amicizia e crescita. Ovviamente non può essere tutto sviluppato in maniera ottimale in così poco spazio, ma devo dire che non mi è sembrato eccessivamente affrettato pur di concludere. È pur sempre un prequel che quindi deve essere un concentrato di avvenimenti.

Gabriella e Tommy diventano migliori amici all’età di otto anni (lei) e dieci (lui). Sei anni dopo si scoprono innamorati l’uno dell’altra – non vi sto spoilerando nulla, è nella trama! -. E il resto è storia. Non poteva andare tutto bene, ci deve essere la disgrazia e le lacrime a fiumi e la crescita di Gabriella. Con tutti gli errori che la disperazione e l’adolescenza insieme possono fare. Con tutta la bellezza che la crescita, la presa di coscienza e l’amore possono creare insieme.

Gabriella è una ragazzina normale, con una sorella – Gina – e una bella famiglia alle spalle. Di quelle da film, in cui si litiga quando ci sta la litigata ma altrimenti siamo a livello famiglia del Mulino Bianco. La sorella maggiore un po’ ribelle, il padre un po’ geloso delle figlie, ma tutto nella norma. Poi, la famiglia è italiana. Mamma di Napoli e papà siciliano. Mi sono spanciata a leggere le espressioni in italiano usate dai due, cliché dell’italiano secondo gli americani che letta dal nostro punto di vista fa decisamente sorridere.

Tommy ha una famiglia un po’ così, assente, che non approva le sue scelte e i suoi comportamenti nonostante le due cose più trasgressive che abbia fatto siano uscire con la vicina di casa che conosce da una vita e sostenere di voler andare a vivere per conto suo a vent’anni. Vabbè.

Dicevo Gabriella e Tommy sono l’amore. Due piccoli migliori amici che crescono praticamente come fratelli. Tommy che trova nella famiglia Rossi – cliché, dicevamo?? – un seconda famiglia, lì dove la sua manca. E ovviamente non poteva che nascere l’amore nell’istante in cui nei due ha iniziato a circolare dell’ormone.
Ma ci sta, non è stato forzato, nonostante la velocità, e tanto per cambiare io avevo i lacrimoni. Poi il disastro, ma non vi voglio anticipare nulla.

Non c’è molto altro da dire. La storia si fa cercare e apprezzare e si può leggere tranquillamente in lingua – raga, ci sono riscita anche io! – quindi non mi resta che consigliarvi questo libro. A breve, promesso, mi butterò anche sul primo libro vero e proprio della serie, Feel Again, anche se vi confesso che le sue quasi 300 pagine un po’ mi spaventano.

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Letture del mese – Dicembre 2016

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Titolo: Broken at love (Whitman University #1)
Autore: Lyla Payne
Genere: Romance
Pagine: 338
 
Goodreads
 
rating 2

Titolo: L’amore di Audrey (Nel cuore di New York #4)
Autore: Alessia Esse
Genere: Romance
Pagine: 357
 
Recensione
Goodreads
 
rating 5

Titolo: Fatal Shadows e A Dangerous Thing (Adrien English Mysteries #1-2)
Autore: Josh Lanyon
Genere: MM Romance
Pagine: 290
 
Goodreads
 
rating 3

Titolo: Mio fratello rincorre i dinosauri
Autore: Giacomo Mazzariol
Genere: Contemporary
Pagine: 176
 
Goodreads
 
rating 4

divisore dx

 

kiafirma

un po' di follia in primavera cover
Titolo: Un po’ di follia in primavera (Alice Allevi #5)
Autore: Alessia Gazzola
Genere: Thriller, Romance
Pagine: 219
 
Recensione
Goodreads
 
rating 4

Titolo: First Came You (Fate #0.5)
Autore: Faith Andrews
Genere: Romance, New adult
Pagine: 125
 
Goodreads
 
rating 3.5
first came you cover
vietato leggere all'inferno cover
Titolo: Vietato leggere all’inferno
Autore: Roberto Gerilli
Genere: Thriller, Distopico
Pagine: 412
 
Goodreads
 
rating 4.5

Titolo: È solo una storia d’amore
Autore: Anna Premoli
Genere: Romance
Pagine: 320
 
Goodreads
 
rating 3

è solo una storia d'amore cover
natale a new york cover
Titolo: Natale a New York
Autore: Toni Collins
Genere: Romance
Pagine: 120
 
Goodreads
 
rating 2

Teaser Tuesday #53

Saaalve!
Il Teaser Tuesday di oggi viene dal primo volume di una serie che abbiamo scoperto per caso e di cui fa parte il libro del Blitz di ieri. Ho iniziato il libro due giorni fa e sono ancora in piena crisi da laurea in arrivo quindi ho letto proprio pochi capitoli, ma per ora sembra davvero carino.
Vi lascio qui sotto un pezzettino di un capitolo dal POV del protagonista maschile, Caleb. Sembra davvero un personaggio interessante!

teaser tuesday

I’ve seen enough, ready to turn away and find another pretty tree to bark up, but Aubrey spots me from where she’s gyrating. Rihanna’s Where Have You Been is the song hypnotizing the mob, hypnotizing Aubrey into believing I am indeed the one she’s been searching for. When I think her intense stare might burn a hole right through me, she breaks free of her trance and raises her glass in acknowledgment. I raise mine back, hoping that will be the extent of our conversation tonight, but when I see her whisper to Emma and start dancing her way toward me, I bite my tongue for speaking too soon.
I don’t move. I’m not even giving her the satisfaction of meeting her half way. When she reaches me, she bumps me with her barely-covered ass. “Hey there, handsome. Surprised to see me?”
Ah! And there it is, engrained in her devious smirk, her hooded eyes the proof of her malicious intent. She knew I was coming here and that’s why she’s here. “I thought you were grabbing a bite and a few drinks with the girls? You never mentioned a wild night out.”
“Wild, huh?” She laughs, cocking her head back, never abandoning dramatic. “You haven’t seen anything yet . . . I’m just getting started. Why don’t you join me out there?” She’s pulling my beerless hand, but I’m statue-still.
“No.” Blunt. There are no lines to read between, you can’t possibly read between two letters.
She leans in closer, speaking over the loud music, into my ear. “Caleb, you’re starting to give me a complex. No is not an acceptable response.”
There’s no way I’m going to give her the reaction she’s looking for. Besides, I’m not too shocked by her admission. I’m certain by the looks of her designer clothes and the rest of her designer life she’s not used to taking no for an answer.
“Well, Aubrey, as Mick Jagger so aptly put it, you can’t always get what you want.”
She’s left with a dumbfounded expression. Surely she’s heard the Rolling Stones’ song before? I mean, you’d have to live under a rock, but with this chick anything’s possible.
As I stretch my vision past Aubrey, to another group of barely-dressed girls, I notice her. Long, coffee-brown hair falling down her back and almost touching her perfectly rounded ass. The ass that’s encased in a skin-tight black number and silky legs accentuated by heels that look dangerous. It’s a sin that someone who looks like her should have her eyes focused on the ground. Focus them on me, I will her. A package as beautifully put together as she is deserves attention—my attention. If only she knew she blows every woman in this room away. And not just because of how striking she is. There’s something about her, something different. This woman is a rare find in a room full of cookie-cutter imitations.
Her shiny waves cascade over her shoulders, bouncing as she walks in my direction. The deep chocolate hue compliments her radiant olive skin tone and her glistening green eyes. This woman is fucking gorgeous. Not the kind you take home to screw, the kind you take home to Mom . . . or, er, Grandma.
“Caleb. I was talking to you.”
I snap back to find Aubrey’s hands around my waist. “Conversation’s over. There’s someone I need to talk to.” I walk away, not even glancing back at Aubrey. I need to know who this woman is. I’m not a spiritual man, but she just might be sent from heaven. She’s the type of woman who could change the whole game. At least that’s the vibe I’m getting.

Chapter 5 – FEEL AGAIN by Faith Andrews

divisore dx

feel againA dare.

A dying wish.

Fate…

After years of loneliness, widowed Gabriella is ready to fill the void—as long as she doesn’t have to give her heart to another man.

Caleb’s screwed himself right into a dead-end existence. Faced with an ultimatum, he’s hell-bound on changing his reckless ways.

A chance meeting has these two instantly attracted to one another, but when their paths cross again—this time as professor and student—the roles reverse on Professor Edwards as Caleb teaches her how to feel again.

mon firma

Book Blitz: Freeing Destiny by Faith Andrews

freeing destiny banner

Buongiornoooo! Sì, siamo sparite (colpa della Mon <3), la tesi ci ha prese più del previsto. Btw, tesi consegnate, mancano solo le slide e la discussione. Ce la possiamo fare. E poi torniamo più convinte di prima. Oggi cominciamo facendoci perdonare con questo libro dalla copertina secondo me davvero bellissima. Cioè, tutta la serie secondo me ha delle copertine magnifiche. È una di quelle serie che leggerò perché mi piace la copertina, praticamente senza nemmeno leggere la trama.
A voi piace?

We’re back with another Book Blitz and the reason why we picked this book is always the same: THAT cover! Have you seen it? It’s gorgeous! I’ve seen the other covers for this series and they’re amazing too. I’m definitely going to read these books just for the covers. You can find en excerpt and some beautiful images if you want to know a bit more about this book.

freeing destiny
Title: Freeing Destiny (Fate #2)
Author: Faith Andrews
Publication date: March 14th 2016
Add to Goodreads

First Came You (Fate #0.5)
Feel Again (Fate #1)

Words to live by:

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Don’t break the rules.

I’d managed to fail at both by fraternizing with the enemy’s brother. Guess I’d followed in my mother’s footsteps by ignoring all the rules when it came to love.

Mom was marrying a man only six years older than me. A man who was also her student. But the biggest surprise that came out of their wedding wasn’t my new stepdad’s academic status or his age.

It was Jack Davis—my stepfather’s best friend.

Jack was the guy who could change the whole game. He was quite possibly my soul mate. But time and circumstance were against us—there was no easy way around it. I was moving back to New York in two weeks and his sister, Aubrey, was the one person my family hated most in this world. How would his sister—the enemy—deal with another Edwards girl claiming what she believed was hers? The idea of letting Jack go crippled me. Would I have to cut ties with the only man I’d ever let into my heart?

 

excerpt

“Would you like to dance?” His bold invitation hooked me from the get-go, but I didn’t want to break into Mom and Caleb’s spotlight just yet.
Unwilling to decline his refreshing companionship, I countered, “How about a drink instead?” A shot of something stiff and fiery might pump some life back into me and eventually prepare me for the dance Jack had requested.
img 1“Deal.” He nodded and hooked his arm with mine.
He ushered me to the bar like two old, familiar friends; I felt oddly comfortable being man-handled by him. I glanced down to where our arms intertwined and he caught me checking out his bulging bicep.
“Sorry, just thought you could use a friend,” he admitted, releasing my arm as we continued to walk. “You looked a little . . . preoccupied.”
Besides his insanely good looks and the unnerving effect he had over my body, I also had to give him props for how perceptive he was. “What, are you a psychologist or something?” I joked. I wanted—needed—to know more about him.
“No,” he laughed, running his hand over his overgrown five o’clock scruff. “But I was a bartender for a while. Kind of the same thing.”
I nodded as I raised my hand to get our bartender’s attention. “Oh, did you work with Caleb?”
“I don’t mix business with pleasure, doll. Working with friends always causes problems. Besides, bartending was never my passion.”
“Well, what is your passion?” Something deep inside me begged him to say blonde bridesmaids. I bit my lip, waiting for his response.
“I have many, but if you want to know what I do for a living, you could just ask. Or is that part of your mysterious charm?”
“Me? Mysterious?” It was my turn to laugh. Maybe he wasn’t as perceptive as I thought. I was usually an open book. My eyes were the windows to my soul, as Mom liked to put it.
“Stella,” Jack leaned closer. His tuxedo-clad arm settled around my shoulders. I really liked the way my name rolled off his tongue. And I loved the way his body molded with mine.
“Yes, Jack,” I whispered. It was a plea. Suddenly I was ready to say yes to anything he asked of me.
Caressing my bare skin with his thumb, he answered, “I meant it in a good way. You’re mysterious and beautiful and just one look at you makes me want to peel apart your layers and find out who you are.”
Wow! If my mouth hadn’t already felt stuffed with a giant wad of cotton candy that definitely did the trick.
I gulped back my nerves and said a silent prayer of thanks when the bartender interrupted us. “What can I get you?”
Words. Courage. A normal heart rate. Were any of those on the drink menu? ’Cause I sure could’ve used a potent dose of all three.

img 2Visibly sensing how bowled over I was by what he said, Jack took charge in ordering. “A glass of Pinot for the lady, and I’ll have a . . . Stella.” His grin grew so wide it was comical. His joke should’ve made me laugh, but the innuendo got the best of me and made me squirm in my seat.
Arching a brow, I gathered my unraveled nerves and stared into his baby blues. “Seriously? Of all the beers?”
“Serious, my friend. Stella happens to be my favorite. It’s a classic, golden beauty that satisfies my thirst. And when it’s fresh, crisp taste tickles and caresses my tongue, I lap up every drop and don’t let any of it go to waste.”
Gulp! Like, literally. Where was my Pinot? I needed that sucker. Now!
“I’m sorry,” Jack finally relented through a gritty, growled chuckle. “I’m coming on way too strong and I must sound like such a dick. It’s just . . . you’ve had my attention all day, and when I saw you watching your mom and Caleb, you looked a little . . . sad, I guess. I didn’t like seeing you that way. I thought talking to you would make you laugh. Now I’ve gone and made you uncomfortable at your mother’s wedding.” He stared at his clasped hands, the ones that were no longer wrapped around my shoulders. I wanted them back there. I wanted him to touch me again. I wanted him to continue flirting and make me feel the things no other guy had ever made me feel before.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Jack. I’m glad you’re here.” And I was. I welcomed the distance from Nina and Ryan and Mom and Caleb, enjoying my time with someone who made me smile.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When she’s not tapping her toes to a Mumford & Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or she’s sitting behind the laptop, creating her next swoon worthy book boyfriend. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.

Thanks to XPresso Book Tours for giving us the opportunity to promote this book.

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