Blog Tour & Giveaway: Distractions: J.L. Brooks

by Reviews by Tammy and Kim - Tuesday, May 28, 2013

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“We are all pawns in someone else’s game.”

No one knows this better than Violet Phillips. When her beloved mentor goes missing, she suspects murder, which sends her spiraling out of control and away from the stable life she has built for herself. Soon, her past will begin seeping out with a vengeance.

“I will teach you how this game is played.”

Self-destruction threatens to consume Violet when a handsome neighbor that has been watching her from afar intervenes on her behalf. Shepard Leone may be six years younger, but it does not stop him from seducing her ears as well as her heart.

“Fascinating how much life can change in twenty-four hours.”

When Violet is forced to go down a dark road into a past where she must confront the demons that nearly destroyed her, will she be unable to deviate? Struggling with the loss of her missing friend, Shepard will find a way in and reawaken desires that she thought were forever lost. But Violet never forgets that if you are not careful, distractions will be your undoing.

Read prologue and chapter one teaser on JL Brooks' website

Excerpt:

I imagined this scenario in my head a million times; however, it always brought me pain rather than the elation I was currently experiencing. I waited to wake up at any moment, finding this another lucid dream that has haunted me for far too long. I felt the vibration of his Adam’s apple against my forehead when he let out a deep growling sigh. I squeezed him tighter, unwilling to break the embrace first.

“Can I buy you a drink now?”

I pulled away to give him a grin. Breathing out in feigned exasperation, “I guess, if you must.”

“Everyone who enters your life is there for one of two reasons. To bring you closer to the person you can be, or distract you from fulfilling that potential.”

This is one of those reviews where I do not want to give away too much since part of the fun of this book is figuring it all out. This book is not your typical love story...although there are actually two love stories in it. But it has aspects of a suspenseful psychological thriller as well. I have to admit that at times I felt a little lost or disjointed since there were various events and people that at times did not seem to flow or match up. There were some flashbacks and then there were several significant time jumps that progressed the story way ahead. But I had to keep reading to know where this story was going. And as I kept reading, I got more invested. And I started to realize that it is not as random as it seems. Stories can connect in ways that you would not expect and every action has a reaction.

"Stay alert, Violet. Distractions will be your undoing."

Violet's life is full of tragedies, changes, disappointments, and pain. She suffers loss and heartbreak, then moves on. But the past has a way of coming back when you least expect it. And the emotional scars do not disappear. She is complex with many facets to her personality and past and showed personal growth over the years. And despite her heartbreak and emotional breakdowns, she was a strong character that overcame many challenges.

"How many chances does a person get before they run out? My whole life, I have barely escaped one accident after another. Most of them caused by my own stubbornness and stupidity, but I can't stop, no matter how hard I try. I run headfirst into the storm, despite being ripped to shreds in the past...."

She has two significant men in her life. Shepard...Oh, sweet swoony Shepard. He is younger, sexy, supportive and totally enamored of Violet. I totally adored him and felt that they were truly meant to be together. But Violet's life is never easy or uncomplicated. Connor is the love of her past that broke her heart. He left her with deep seated trust issues and made her avoid her past for a long time. But he is attractive and intriguing as well. These two men affect her life in various ways over the years causing more distractions and choices.

“If someone has the ability to make you glow in the darkness, they must be remarkable. That does not mean there is something wrong with you. It means there is something right.”

Distractions, emotions, and changes send Violet spinning into various situations that all have consequences. Things are going one way and then BAM! you are hit with something or someone else. And finally we come to a pulse pounding climax that brings it all together. There were so many twists and turns in this book that you had to pay attention. I have to admit, I am still pondering some of the events today after reading it. There was suspense, danger, mystery, romance, betrayal, heart break, and hope all mixed in. It was an intricately woven story of choices, connections, and characters. You have to avoid getting lost in the small details and try to see the big picture. An intriguing debut from J.L Brooks.

Thanks to JL Brooks for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

JL Brooks Website/Facebook/Twitter

JL Brooks lives with her active family along the Ohio River at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. A former columnist turned novelist, she spends most of her time engaged in women’s health issues and education. Believing everyone has a story to tell, chances are she will encourage you to tell yours.

Tour hosted by Holly at iloveindiebooks

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