Promo and Giveaway: Give Me Love: Kate MCCarthy

by Reviews by Tammy and Kim - Monday, May 13, 2013

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Evie Jamieson, a former wild child, is not only a headstrong, smart-mouthed trouble magnet; she is also a lead singer with a plan. That plan involves relocating her band; including her two best friend’s guitarist Henry and band manager Mac, to Sydney to kick off their dreams of hitting the big time.

Jared Valentine is the older brother of Evie's best friend Mac and also the man determined to make Evie his. They strike up a long distance friendship which suits Evie because she's determined to avoid the distraction of love, not only because it doesn't fit in with her plan but because twice in the past it has left her for dead. Moving to Sydney however, has put her directly in Jared's path and he has decided it's the perfect opportunity to make his play.

Unfortunately Jared, co-owner in a business that 'consults' in dangerous hostage and kidnapping situations, makes an enemy who's determined to enact revenge. When this enemy puts Evie in his sights, Jared not only has a fight on his hands to make her his own, but also to keep her alive.

Is accepting the love he's so desperate to give worth the risk to both her heart...and her life?

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Exclusive: Casey's POV

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I threw my bag in the back of the car and hopped in the passenger seat as Mitch turned the key in the ignition and reversed, taking us from the underground car park and into the early morning light.

I rubbed my hand across my tired eyes as the scenery began to rush by in a blur. I felt flat – not up or down, just somewhere in the middle of fucking nowhere and I hoped like hell I was doing the right thing by leaving. God knows I didn’t want to, but I reminded myself that Evie was worth so much more. Jared and Evie fit together, everyone could see it, and as much as it pained me, so could I.

I remembered back to when I first met her and felt myself smiling at the memory. I never smiled so much as I did around her, and it felt good. She’d had a mouthful of chips so large it was a wonder she could still breathe, yet I figured she could because she still managed to yell at her friends. Then after the meeting they’d had at Jettison Records, I got dragged along the shopping aisles with her. Usually, I hated the domesticity of it, but she questioned me on every little thing, and it was fucking amusing. “Salted peanuts or cashews?” she’d asked me as though lives hung in the balance over what was chosen. Mac had grabbed them both out of her hands and threw them in the trolley before stalking off on her phone. Then it was on to the chips aisle, and just when I thought we’d never make it out of there before we turned grey, we were heading for the checkout.

I chuckled and felt Mitch’s eyes glance my way. “What?” he asked.

I shrugged and shook my head.

We pulled up at a red light and as the car idled, Mitch asked, “What do you think of Quinn?”

Quinn was utterly charming. She was tiny—only coming to my shoulder—and with her with her tousled white-blonde hair and full lips, so very appealing. She’d been wearing a pretty yellow dress that should have brightened her eyes, but there were shadows behind them. I knew, because I recognized them in myself. My chest had a pang because someone as sweet as her didn’t belong in a place where shadows lived. I could only hope hers weren’t as dark as mine because I’d lived in hell for so long I didn’t know who the fuck I was anymore. I was trying to dig my way out, but when you weren’t sure you deserved to breathe fresh air, it was hard to summon the effort. People like Evie, and even Quinn, were the sort of people that made you want to try.

“I like her. She’s different then all the rest, but you didn’t need to push her over.”

Mitch laughed. “I didn’t mean to. How was I to know she was there? She’s so small a gust of wind could knock her down.” The light turned green and Mitch accelerated. “Tell me what’s going on with Travis, Casey.” He paused to check his blind spot and then changed lanes. “You’re closest to him than all of us these days.”

My lips pressed into a flat line, not liking what I was about to say. “We’ve gotta take him off.”

Mitch shook his head. “Fuck,” he muttered. “He won’t do it.”

I could only agree, and I knew why. It was the exact same reason why I wouldn’t do it either.

Mitch pulled into a park at the airport, and we both got out. “You could’ve just dropped me off, mate.”

“Yeah, but I need coffee. May as well get one here.”

Once inside, I checked my bag, and we both grabbed a coffee. “How long you gone for?”

“Four weeks,” I muttered. “Not long.” And it wasn’t, but who knew what four more weeks would do to Jared and Evie. It was better this way that I finished up the overseas contract.

“You’re doing the right thing.”

I nodded because I kept telling myself that. Hearing it from Mitch reinforced the decision, but it still didn’t stop the feeling of what might’ve been. I swallowed the hollow feeling and finished my coffee, the heat of it warming my insides.

“Right. Better get going.”

Mitch nodded and gave my shoulder a slap as we reached the gate. My eyes caught Evie running towards us.

I stopped in shock. “Evie.”

Breathless from running, she planted her hands on her hips and I stood, my eyes running over her. As usual, she looked fucking sexy as though she’d just rolled out of bed, giving you the urge to roll her back in it. I smothered the punch to the gut that lust gave me and waited for her to catch her breath.

“You’re leaving,” she said, the accusation and hurt clear as day in her eyes. Fuck. I didn’t want to leave her. We’d become good friends, and I hated knowing she’d feel like I was abandoning her right when she needed her friends most.

“I need to get going.” Mitch gave me a nod, and I returned it. “See you in a few.” He gave Evie’s shoulder a squeeze. “See you tonight, sweetheart.”

She snagged his arm before he left. “What’s tonight?”

I tuned their conversation out as I watched her speak, realizing with a pang that I’d miss her.

The announcement of my flight boarding came over the PA, and I interrupted them. “That’s my flight.”

Mitch left with a wave, and Evie folded her arms, her voice wobbling when she asked, “Are you leaving because of me? Because I swear to God, I’m sick of people leaving me. It hurts.”

Fuck. She was blinking back tears, and I wanted to take her in my arms and hang on tight. Instead, I gripped her arm gently and moved her out of the way of the traffic flow before someone pushed into her. “How did you know I was leaving? Did you speak to Jared?”

She nodded.

I let go of her arm and told her why I was leaving before picking up my carry-on bag when they announced the final boarding call.

When she said she’d miss me, it filled the hollow feeling for a minute, and I brushed my hand down her cheek, relishing the brief touch.

Offering her a final wave, I turned, and hardening my heart, walked through the gate and onto the plane.

Excerpt:

"Don’t be long," Mac called over her shoulder as she headed down the stairs. "We need to get going soon."
I went to my room and threw the two black scraps on that Mac had bought me. The top turned out to be a little bustier, nude underneath with black lace over the top. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and built in underwire so I didn’t need a bra. The skirt was a black leather mini and not fully fitted. It had a band around the top, little pleats that helped it flare out at the hips, and lovely pockets, but it was short. It probably wasn’t meant to be that short, but I had long legs, and they were definitely on display.
I wondered what the hell Mac was thinking.
Opening the bedroom door, I shouted down the stairs.
"Macface!"
"Yeah?" she shouted back up.
"Can you come here a sec?"
"No. Just hurry up and get dressed. We need to get going!"
"Mac! I can’t wear this. There’s too little of it!"
"Christ, Evie, stop shouting nonsense and hurry up downstairs. There’s no time to bugger about trying to find something else to wear. It’s too late."
I could hear the smugness in her voice. I wanted to stomp all over that smugness. Instead, I went to my wardrobe, grabbed my bag and my big black trench coat so I could cover my almost naked chest, and stomped angrily down the stairs to the lounge room.
"Jesus," Henry muttered as everyone looked my way.
"Evie," Mac exclaimed innocently. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. You look fine. Right, guys?"
Mitch and Tate were eyeballing my cleavage with equally glazed expressions.
"Christ," Mitch muttered.
"It certainly does show off your chest to advantage, doesn’t it?" She smirked with satisfaction.
My glare at Mac was a frosty promise of retribution. She raised one eyebrow to tell me that she didn’t really give a shit.
I started to shrug on my coat before she ripped it out of my arms and tossed it away. "You’re not wearing that thing. It’s too bloody hot."
"Mac," I wailed in exasperation.
"Nope. Come on," she bossed. "Mitch has ordered us a cab, and I just heard it tooting out the front."
Mac wrestled me out the door and into the warm night air, piling me into the cab that would take us to the Florence Bar.
"I know you’re up to something, Mac, and I don’t like it."
"Rubbish." She snorted. "I’m not up to anything. There’s nothing wrong with one friend wanting another to look her best."

"I don’t think almost naked is the way to do that, Mac." – Evie and her best friend Mac.

Kate McCarthy Website/Facebook/Facebook Group/Twitter/Goodreads

Kate McCarthy grew up in a small town outside of Port Macquarie, Australia. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, Kate enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area. She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing. She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane. When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite authors include (and are not limited to) J.R. Ward, Nalini Singh and JD Nixon. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha. You can friend request Kate on Goodreads, send her a message on Facebook or contact her via the contact tab :D

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