Blog Tour and Giveaway: Bent: HB Heinzer
Buy: Amazon
If there’s one thing Julia Wilson has learned in life, it’s that you can’t push your own dreams to the background for anyone. Newly divorced, Julia returns to the hometown she once swore would never see her again. Her plan is simple; enjoy the cheap rent her friend is offering and stay just long enough to develop a plan to make her own dreams come true.
It doesn’t take long before Julia realizes she’s made a big mistake.
Micah Anderson came closer to breaking Julia than anyone else ever had. After promising her forever, he broke her heart the week before she left for college. Now, Julia’s back in town and he’s going to have to tell her the truth about why he left her. It’s not possible to hide a twelve year old child when you live in a town of 5,000 people.
Is following your dreams worth it if it means giving up on a second chance with her first love? Is trying to make a relationship work worth it if his past becomes a threat to her safety?
"How did you do this?" Julia asked in wide-eyed wonder.
A smug grin broke on Micah's face, "I have my ways," he said, pulling her gently to him. "Come on, there's one more thing," he said as he led her to the master bath. The long vanity was lined with tealights and a vase containing four long-stemmed roses.
"One yellow rose," Micah said handing the first rose to Julia, "to tell you how happy you've made me by coming home, even if it's only for a while."
"A pink rose," he continued, "to say thank you for allowing me into your life. I was an ass and even if I told you I'm sorry every day until I die, it wouldn't be enough."
"This red rose," he handed her the third stem, "because I love you. I always have and I always will."
He pulled the final rose from the slender crystal vase and placed it in Julia's hand, "And the orange rose to show you that you are the only woman I desire. There was a time in my life when I thought I could convince myself otherwise but I was wrong. It's only ever been you."
I completely adored her first love, Micah. Yeah, he messed up. He knows he did and he has no problem admitting it or trying to make up for it. He is a little rough around the edges and a single father. He is sweet, protective, vulnerable, determined, and romantic. Julia is guarded, independent, stubborn, but loving. Together they are flirty, feisty, and fall back into old habits.
How could the man who ripped her heart out still make her feel this way?
I was immediately pulled into their story. About 1/4 of the way through, I was wondering what the rest of the book was going to be about. Everything seemed to be going to so well...And then the drama hit. The past keeps rearing it's ugly head. And there are misunderstandings, lies, secrets, fears, and life situations that make things difficult for this couple. There was never any doubt in my mind that this couple loved each other and wanted to be together. The problem was more if they could converge their lives and make it work.
Micah gently pulled on Julia's shoulders until her face was inches from his. "Do you think there's a chance that someday your heart will heal from everything I've done to you so you can really love me again?"
"Micah, even with everything that's happened in our lives, I don't think there was ever a time when I didn't love you. You've bent the hell out of my heart but for whatever twisted reason, I never stopped loving you."
I had a real soft spot for his son Caleb. And loved her brother Adam, her friends Carly, Annie and Lizzie. They all added a depth to the story and made you really want to live in this town where people cared about you so much.
I will be interested to see what story will be told in Breaking the Rules(Back to Brooklyn#2) coming out in Late Spring 2013. HB Heinzer has a very engaging writing style that just draws you in. It flows impeccably and she allows you to identify with the characters and their feelings. She makes you see their flaws and their strengths and did not make it easy on them to make it work. And even though I kept hoping that all of their problems would just go away so they could be together, I was a little sad when the last page ended since I loved spending time in Brooklyn with these characters.
Thanks to HB Heinzer for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review
With the exception of three years in Nebraska, H.B. Is a Wisconsin girl through and through. She lives with her husband, two kids and roommate (also known as the “bonus parent”) in the middle of nowhere but close enough to civilization to maintain a shred of sanity.
She credits her father introducing her to an APAzine in the mid-90s for her love of writing. Bent, her debut novel, was a NaNoWriMo challenge to write 50,000 words in one month. After years of attempting and failing, she finally got through it and this is the result!
Tour hosted by The Book Enthusiast
1 comments
LOVED this book...
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