TITLE – Almost Matched (book #1)
SERIES – Almost Bad Boys
AUTHOR – A.O. Peart
GENRE – New Adult Romantic Comedy novella
PUBLICATION DATE – November 8, 2013
PUBLISHER – Three Graces Publishing
COVER ARTIST – Regina Wamba
TAG LINE:
Would you take another shot at love? Or just settle on a friend with benefits?
TEASER LINE:
Their heartbreaking past will move you. Their passion will make you blush. Their antics will make you laugh out loud.
Twenty-five-year-old Natalie Davenport lugs substantial baggage. One boyfriend after the next has been a total disaster, leaving Natalie distrustful toward the male population in general. So when Colin Hampton crosses her path, she’s cautious. Her heart (and some other body parts!) nudges her to go for it, while her head wants her to run for the hills.
Colin is one of those gorgeous guys who attract women, no matter the age or marital status. With a successful career at a popular Seattle radio station, hard body, and charming personality, he is the complete package. But something dark lurks in the corners of his soul; some murky experience that has changed him—maybe for the better, but maybe for the worse.
Will he steal her heart and stomp over it like other guys did?
Will she let him into her heavily fortified world despite herself?
Or will they settle somewhere in the middle—establishing the emotional boundaries to protect them from falling in love?
Disclaimer
This contemporary romantic comedy blends humor, sensuality, and angst, with zany characters and witty dialogue. You will laugh out loud while blushing in embarrassment.
**Warning: contains sexual situations (some quite vivid!), profanity, and a high dose of sarcasm. Oh, and there is a lot of appletini and beer drinking.
May not be appropriate for readers under 18 years old. Not intended for prudes and killjoys with no sense of humor**
Would you take another shot at love? Or just settle on a friend with benefits?
TEASER LINE:
Their heartbreaking past will move you. Their passion will make you blush. Their antics will make you laugh out loud.
BLURB:
Twenty-five-year-old Natalie Davenport lugs substantial baggage. One boyfriend after the next has been a total disaster, leaving Natalie distrustful toward the male population in general. So when Colin Hampton crosses her path, she’s cautious. Her heart (and some other body parts!) nudges her to go for it, while her head wants her to run for the hills.
Colin is one of those gorgeous guys who attract women, no matter the age or marital status. With a successful career at a popular Seattle radio station, hard body, and charming personality, he is the complete package. But something dark lurks in the corners of his soul; some murky experience that has changed him—maybe for the better, but maybe for the worse.
Will he steal her heart and stomp over it like other guys did?
Will she let him into her heavily fortified world despite herself?
Or will they settle somewhere in the middle—establishing the emotional boundaries to protect them from falling in love?
********************************************************
Disclaimer
This contemporary romantic comedy blends humor, sensuality, and angst, with zany characters and witty dialogue. You will laugh out loud while blushing in embarrassment.
**Warning: contains sexual situations (some quite vivid!), profanity, and a high dose of sarcasm. Oh, and there is a lot of appletini and beer drinking.
May not be appropriate for readers under 18 years old. Not intended for prudes and killjoys with no sense of humor**
THE SERIES:
The Almost Bad Boys series are the stories of four feisty twenty-something women who refuse to let their past drag them down. Amazon Kindle Link | Barnes & Nobles Nook Link | Goodreads Link
********************************************************
EXCERPT:
Natalie!” I hear someone call from the car to my left.
I
turn. Two things happen at once: my heartbeat increases to some dangerous
levels, and my brain sounds the S.O.S. message. I am far from indecisive most
of the time, but now I cannot, for the life of me, decide what to do.
turn. Two things happen at once: my heartbeat increases to some dangerous
levels, and my brain sounds the S.O.S. message. I am far from indecisive most
of the time, but now I cannot, for the life of me, decide what to do.
So,
I sit, my eyes stupidly wide, staring at the absolutely gorgeous, insanely sexy
male specimen that grins at me from the car in the lane next to mine. The
traffic freezes, so the cars aren’t moving at the moment. He looks at me from
behind some designer sunglasses, waiting for a sign of recognition from me.
I sit, my eyes stupidly wide, staring at the absolutely gorgeous, insanely sexy
male specimen that grins at me from the car in the lane next to mine. The
traffic freezes, so the cars aren’t moving at the moment. He looks at me from
behind some designer sunglasses, waiting for a sign of recognition from me.
It’s
him! The man who I encountered last
week while I was clad only in a mini skirt, shoes, and a bra that left little to
imagination.
him! The man who I encountered last
week while I was clad only in a mini skirt, shoes, and a bra that left little to
imagination.
Did
I mention the S.O.S pleading from my brain? Screw the brain. I like what my
heart is doing so much better. And why am I so worried about Colin’s
intentions? If he didn’t want to get my attention, he wouldn’t. But he did. He
deliberately called out to me, waving and smiling.
I mention the S.O.S pleading from my brain? Screw the brain. I like what my
heart is doing so much better. And why am I so worried about Colin’s
intentions? If he didn’t want to get my attention, he wouldn’t. But he did. He
deliberately called out to me, waving and smiling.
“Hey,
Colin!” I give a cautious wave back. “Wow, what a coincidence.” Yep, that’s
me—the queen of obvious. I never try to be sophisticated or ostentatious. One
thing I’d learned in my twenty-five years is to be myself and not try too hard
to please anyone. ‘Forget the pressures of the outside world’ is pretty much my
mantra.
Colin!” I give a cautious wave back. “Wow, what a coincidence.” Yep, that’s
me—the queen of obvious. I never try to be sophisticated or ostentatious. One
thing I’d learned in my twenty-five years is to be myself and not try too hard
to please anyone. ‘Forget the pressures of the outside world’ is pretty much my
mantra.
“So
good to see you, Natalie.” He definitely sounds sincere. No hidden undertones,
no suggestive meanings. Just the old, good ‘nice to see you’.
good to see you, Natalie.” He definitely sounds sincere. No hidden undertones,
no suggestive meanings. Just the old, good ‘nice to see you’.
I
like that. Actually, I like it a bit too much. So much that there is an
unmistakable warm feeling in my stomach, spreading upward to my chest and down…
well, way down there. What the hell is that about? I should be embarrassed,
remembering our first—very unfortunate—encounter. But no! My vagina decides it
is perfectly normal to act ready. Stupid vagina. There really should be a
saying, that—like men, thinking with their penises—some girls think with their
pussies. I would qualify. I would get a platinum level membership. Well, my
girlfriends would too, so that would be a hoot of a club.
like that. Actually, I like it a bit too much. So much that there is an
unmistakable warm feeling in my stomach, spreading upward to my chest and down…
well, way down there. What the hell is that about? I should be embarrassed,
remembering our first—very unfortunate—encounter. But no! My vagina decides it
is perfectly normal to act ready. Stupid vagina. There really should be a
saying, that—like men, thinking with their penises—some girls think with their
pussies. I would qualify. I would get a platinum level membership. Well, my
girlfriends would too, so that would be a hoot of a club.
“Crazy
traffic, isn’t it?” I’m stalling, trying to see how Colin would continue this
conversation. Although the cars are about to start moving, and we will just
wave ‘bye’.
traffic, isn’t it?” I’m stalling, trying to see how Colin would continue this
conversation. Although the cars are about to start moving, and we will just
wave ‘bye’.
“I
know. It might even make sense to take the next exit and wait it out somewhere.
There must be some nice bar or a restaurant around.”
know. It might even make sense to take the next exit and wait it out somewhere.
There must be some nice bar or a restaurant around.”
Whoa.
Is he trying to get me to join him? I won’t go for it. Cute or not, I don’t
even know him. “I hear ya.” That’s safe enough answer.
Is he trying to get me to join him? I won’t go for it. Cute or not, I don’t
even know him. “I hear ya.” That’s safe enough answer.
Colin
is wearing a very-white, very-crisp dress shirt, with sleeves rolled up over
his elbows. His tie is draped over the navy-blue jacket that hangs on the back
of the passenger seat. Several buttons of his shirt are unbuttoned, and when he
twists his upper body away from the steering wheel and toward me, he graces me
with a glimpse of his smooth chest. No hair, just the way I like it. And is
there a tattoo, swirling up from somewhere around his nipple and toward his
shoulder? It’s hard to tell with his shirt just barely allowing a peek of his
upper torso.
is wearing a very-white, very-crisp dress shirt, with sleeves rolled up over
his elbows. His tie is draped over the navy-blue jacket that hangs on the back
of the passenger seat. Several buttons of his shirt are unbuttoned, and when he
twists his upper body away from the steering wheel and toward me, he graces me
with a glimpse of his smooth chest. No hair, just the way I like it. And is
there a tattoo, swirling up from somewhere around his nipple and toward his
shoulder? It’s hard to tell with his shirt just barely allowing a peek of his
upper torso.
Suddenly,
I want to see what that tattoo is depicting. No, scratch that. It’s my vagina
who wants to know. And she wants to do some naughty things to that tattoo. How
freakin’ embarrassing. Ali is right—I need a fuck buddy to keep my fantasies at
bay.
I want to see what that tattoo is depicting. No, scratch that. It’s my vagina
who wants to know. And she wants to do some naughty things to that tattoo. How
freakin’ embarrassing. Ali is right—I need a fuck buddy to keep my fantasies at
bay.
I
look away, trying to get myself under control with two deep breaths. And then I
realize that my own shirt is unbuttoned way too low. Hello girls! My boobies
are curiously sticking their heads up, trying to see what vagina is so
breathlessly talking about.
look away, trying to get myself under control with two deep breaths. And then I
realize that my own shirt is unbuttoned way too low. Hello girls! My boobies
are curiously sticking their heads up, trying to see what vagina is so
breathlessly talking about.
My
hand goes automatically to my chest, trying to put the stupid buttons back into
their holes, but I stop half-way through, thinking this would seem
overly-bashful enough to actually give me the real reason to blush.
hand goes automatically to my chest, trying to put the stupid buttons back into
their holes, but I stop half-way through, thinking this would seem
overly-bashful enough to actually give me the real reason to blush.
Ah,
screw that. “Where are you heading?” I ask, my tone conversational.
screw that. “Where are you heading?” I ask, my tone conversational.
“Back
home. Worked out, but my gym tee was too sweaty too wear, so I settled on
putting my work shirt back on.” He gestures to his white shirt.
home. Worked out, but my gym tee was too sweaty too wear, so I settled on
putting my work shirt back on.” He gestures to his white shirt.
I
wonder if he changed from gym shorts into his suit pants. But I can’t see below
his chest.
With more writing in this style, it can only get better.
The camaraderie between the 4 friends is great. Although Caroline is a prude and we don’t see much of Jena.
Even though Ali wasn’t a main character, I really liked her. But we need to clean up her act a bit.
Natalie and Colin are a good fit, hope it all works out for them. We were left with a big cliff hanger on this.
wonder if he changed from gym shorts into his suit pants. But I can’t see below
his chest.
My Review
Very cute, author did very well on branching out from her previous writing genreWith more writing in this style, it can only get better.
The camaraderie between the 4 friends is great. Although Caroline is a prude and we don’t see much of Jena.
Even though Ali wasn’t a main character, I really liked her. But we need to clean up her act a bit.
Natalie and Colin are a good fit, hope it all works out for them. We were left with a big cliff hanger on this.
SOUNDTRACK:
Aretha Franklin “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman”
Three Days Grace “Riot”
Pink Floyd “Goodbye” (The Wall)
Awolnation “Sail”
Evanescence “Bring Me To Life”
Family of the Year “Hero”
Brandi Carlile “Hallelujah”
Imagine Dragons “It’s Time”
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Over the Rainbow”
Anberlin “Innocent”
Sara
Bareilles “Gonna Get Over You”
AUTHOR BIO:
Angela Orlowski-Peart was born and raised in Poland. She describes herself as European born, American by choice. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English and translate her favorite Polish fairytales.
Angela is the author of the Young Adult and New Adult fiction novels. She writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy, contemporary, sci-fi, and short stories. She is a member of Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Western Washington Chapter (http://www.scbwi.org), and several authors' and readers' networking groups on Facebook, Linkedin, and Goodreads.
Angela speaks with Polish accent, and loves listening to the Southern drawl. She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her family and a chronically curious cat.
STALKER LINKS:
Amazon Author Page | Website | Newsletter Signup | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads | NetGalley
GIVEAWAY - This is within the continental US only:
1 copy signed Almost Matched paper back. Winner must provide valid mailing address.
2 copies of Almost Matched ebook. The winner must provide valid email address and specify the format (mobi, ePub, or PDF).
5 signed Almost Matched postcards
1 Almost Matched wine bottle charms (wine and wine bottles not included, hehe)
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/99442518/
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