Blog Tour: Predestined Hearts: Kelly Elliott and Kristin Mayer

by - Thursday, April 09, 2015


Predestined Hearts
Kelly Elliott & Kristin Mayer

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Releases April 6

Love has existed since the beginning of time. For Ashlin Thomas, love was an illusion that she desperately wanted to make a reality.
Returning home to Savannah, after her aunt’s death, Ashlin must deal with the harsh realities life has dealt her.
As Ashlin begins sorting through her aunt’s personal effects, she stumbles upon a journal. Not just any journal, but the words of her great great great grandmother, Sophia.
Two love stories intertwine with each other as Ashlin reads the beautiful words, written over a hundred years ago.
The intense connection Ashlin feels with Sophia begins to allow her to find herself. Never thinking love was possible for her, Ashlin now sees it is within her grasp.
But, life is never perfect. Life is never fair.
When faced with the decision that could change Ashlin’s future … will she sacrifice one love for another, or will her predestined heart lead her home?


Gazing around the room, I searched for Daniel. My father and mother were busy talking to Mr. and Mrs. Stowe along with two other couples, whom I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing. A young gentleman had been talking my ear off and I was in desperate need of fresh air.
Turning to him, I asked, “Will you please excuse me? I am in need of some fresh air.”
“Shall I join you?” he asked.
I quickly shook my head. “No. No, that will not be necessary. I have a slight headache and need some time alone.”
Nodding his head, he smiled and took a step back, giving me a quick bow. Returning the polite gesture, I began toward the kitchen. One look over my shoulder showed my mother watching me intently. I’m sure she was distressed at the idea of me wandering off and being late to sit down for dinner.
Somehow managing to find my way to the back gardens, I smiled and inhaled a deep breath. All I smelled were azaleas. I walked along the cobblestone pathway that intertwined among Magnolia trees and some of the most amazing flowers I’d ever seen. My mother would be green with envy were she to lay her eyes upon this colorful garden.
“It goes on forever,” I whispered.
“One can easily get lost back here.”
I stopped the moment I heard his voice. Closing my eyes, I placed my gloved hands on my stomach to calm the butterflies. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose, I slowly blew it out as I turned to face him.
Daniel. His eyes widened and he licked his lips. I raised the corner of my mouth and bowed slightly. Daniel walked up to me and smiled, causing my knees to shake. For a moment, it felt as if the earth was moving and I fought to stand upright.
He took a step closer to me as his eyes moved about my face. When they landed on my lips, I instinctively licked them. His eyes were ablaze with fire. I took a step back as he took another step forward. My breathing increased as I felt something I’d never felt before.
Desire.
Want.
Need.


Following the story of two couples, Daniel and Sophia in antebellum Savannah, and Gael and Ashlin in present day Savannah, Predestined Hearts weaves dual timelines into one story about the power of true love and the potential for destined love. 

I loved the way the two timelines were woven together. The journal giving Gael and Ashlin a window into Sophia and Daniel’s minds sent readers to that same place along with the characters. The flow between the stories was seamless and brilliant. I spent my time reading the present day scenes wondering what was going on in the past, and the past scenes wondering how Ashlin and Gael would react to the new information. And each timeline had me feeling such a wide range of emotion that I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages.

From the beginning Ashlin struck me as a woman stuck in a rut. When she shakes things up and finds herself in Savannah at the home of the aunt who practically raised her, she begins re-evaluating her choices and decisions, quickly moving to change the things that don’t lead her where she wants to be. In her quest to find herself again, she also meets a local man with whom she finds an instant connection. 

Sophia was a girl, on the edge of being a woman, who chafed at the things her mother wanted for her. When she determined to make her own path in life, she found happiness in Daniel, and began planning for their future. 

The men in the story? They were all perfect men. Gael and Daniel were both exactly what the women in their lives needed at the time they met. 

I enjoyed this story and was entertained by it. But the historical scenes at times struck me as contemporary romance dressed up in period costumes and language. When I was able to put aside my hope that the historical aspect of it read true, it no longer bothered me. It was clear that Daniel and Sophia were madly in love and their devotion grew quickly and overshadowed my early conflict about the authenticity.

From the start though, this was one of those books I didn’t want to put down for long. I was captured by the magic of the past, the connections with the present, and all the possibilities. I loved, hurt, and hoped with the characters completely.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.


Kelly Elliott
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Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason...he claims it's because he loves her!
She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message.
In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus....her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

Kristin Mayer

Kristin Mayer is a wife, a proud mother, and a full-time Analyst and Import Manager. Since an early age, she has always enjoyed reading and writing. While visiting her father one weekend, he suggested that she should take up writing again. With family and a career, she didn’t give it a lot of thought, until a story entered her mind and wouldn’t leave. It just kept forming and developing over a couple of months.

At the beginning of 2013, she decided to sit down and write it all down, but she kept it to herself. One sentence developed into two, and before she knew it, she had the makings of a novel.
Kristin tries to live life to the fullest during every moment. She loves to travel and meet new people. She holds a degree in International Business and uses it daily in her job. Kristin now adds “author” on her list of jobs, and feels very blessed and thankful.



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