*~*Wild Angel by Shari Copell Blog Tour – Excerpt, Review & Giveaway*~*

“Hello, Pittsburgh! You ready to rock?”

Nicks Sorenson, guitarist extraordinaire for the band Wild Angel, has a lot going on during her last year of high school. In fact, she sometimes wonders if someone has painted a bull’s eye on her forehead.

Stone Jensen, lead guitarist for the band Heavy Remedy, shows up everywhere she plays despite the bad blood between them. The high school principal is targeting her with endless detentions for some reason. And she’s starting to wonder if her mother is losing her mind.

Life soon spins into chaos for the Sorenson family. It began when Nicks learned the name of the dead musician who’d willed her his four guitars. Then came the dreams of a man shrouded in mist. She doesn’t recognize him, but he seems to know her.

As the strange occurrences escalate, Nicks goes on an unexpected—and painful—journey into the past.

 

She’s about to learn what you don’t know can hurt you.

 

Stone prowled from one corner of the platform to the other with his guitar then stepped back to the mic to sing. The man sure knew how to whip people into a frenzy. Nicks played to the crowd in one corner, then turned her attention to Stone.  She met him in the middle, thrusting her guitar at him with her pelvis. He clutched his chest and staggered back, feigning a heart attack. She laughed and went after him, cornering him against one of the light supports.

She couldn’t explain it, but being up there with him felt sexual. He was hotter than hell, and if they were a thing, the only task left to do was make it official. She stared into his eyes as she played, silently making promises she intended to keep. Tonight.

He turned to the crowd, begging them with his eyes for a rescue. Willow had said she came across like a ten-foot-tall warrior woman when she played. That’s exactly how she felt sharing a stage with Stone Jensen. She finally backed away and freed him from captivity against the support. For the time being, anyway.

Wild Angel by Shari Copell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4 “Stone In Love” Kisses

Okay…so in all seriousness, the second I finished Rock’n Tapestries I was dying for this book…and for the record, I finished Rock’n Tapestries in one sitting.  So really…excited beyond words barely covers it.  Why?  Because of how much I loved these characters!  I wasn’t ready to let go and the thought of continuing the story with Asher and Chelsea’s daughter just made me all kinds of giddy.  So before we move forward, if you haven’t read Rock’n Tapestries…STOP!  Don’t read anymore because you cannot read these books out of order!  Alright…back to business – so, I knew Wild Angel was going to be emotional, but damn it if Shari Copell didn’t do it to me again.  Man, this book just railroaded my heart to shreds and yet I’m still a happy little bookworm…how does she do it?  It’s like voodoo!

Nicole Ashley Sorenson…Nicks…my tough-as-nails and rocks-as-hard-as-the-boys little wild angel.  I love that that’s what her mom calls her and that’s where the name of her band comes from because two words never fit a girl so well.  Nicks is a spit fire with a tough outer shell that is crafted from years of bullying and having to always deal with a feeling that she was different.  Not only from her peers but from her siblings…she just always felt like she was the odd ball out…and she is different but that’s what makes Nicks awesome.  I knew that within the first couple of pages when she was giving herself an orgasm from playing her guitar, that Nicks was my kind of girl.  I loved the things about her that made her different…she is in every way shape and form the offspring of Asher Pratt…she’s the female version of him and just one more attribute that I loved about her.  She’s creative and funny, genuine and kind (when she tries) and for me she was impossible not to love and latch onto.   Like I said…she’s already been through some tough shit and watching her continue to deal with obstacle after obstacle with grace and intelligence…she’s wiser beyond her years and I appreciated that.  Rather than flying off the handle like some girls would, she was smart enough to step back and she approached everything with an even keel and so much strength and fortitude.  Yeah…I love me some Nicks.

     ‘He stepped in front of her with a furrowed brow.  “Nicks, do I frighten you?  I get the feeling I do.”
“Yes.  And no.  It’s been a long time since someone held my hand.”
“That’s a crying shame.  You should have your hand held every night.”  His voice was low and husky, causing a chemical reaction in every cell of her body.  “I’m not going to hurt you.”  He put two fingers under her chin and lifted it until she was looking into those damned eyes.
“I know.”  She cringed inside.  Where had that come from?  She didn’t know.  Sometimes the nicest people turned out to be the biggest assholes.’  

Richard Stone Jensen…oh Stone…I wanted to hate him – especially after the way we are introduced to him…but I have to say it did not take me long to get over that dislike.  Stone is a kind soul wrapped in a hot rocker package…oh don’t get me wrong, he still has that bad ass appeal in there but he’s really a very genuinely nice guy which I liked.  It was a welcomed change because I was honestly expecting the typical ‘I’m-so-full-of-myself-look-how-awesome-I-am’ rock god persona, so actually cutting through the bullshit was an awesome surprise.  He’s still got the rock star looks though…long brown hair, piercing brown eyes, charisma, a voice that can melt the panties off women, insane talent with way too many musical instruments, charm…I mean he’s practically irresistible.  He’s sweet and considerate, went out of his way constantly for Nicks to show her who he really was…I loved his approach with Nicks…it worked on her and it totally worked on me.  He was patient and really went out of his way to show Nicks he wasn’t the ass hole he initially appeared to be.

  “You don’t need to be scared of me.  I get you.  You put the tough outer shell when you put on that guitar because you think it’s expected of you.  I do too.  That’s not really us though, is it?  It’s a musician thing.  I’ll let my guard down if you will.”
He pressed both of her hands to his lips.  “I’d really like to get to know the girl who shelved books on detention in the library, not the one who threatened to put a shoe in my balls.  I could fall hopelessly in love with the delinquent librarian, though I have to admit I find the hot rock star exciting as hell.”
“Stop it.”
“I’d like to keep seeing you, Nicks.  Yes?”
Nicks hesitated.  She got lots of attention from men when she played, but the guitar acted as a buffer, a shield.  This dark man wanted to strip all that away and look inside her.  It was scary, but…
“Yes.  I’d like that too.”  

I loved Stone and Nicks…as in couldn’t get enough of them and honestly…I wish we had seen more of them together but their relationship wasn’t the entire focus of the book – another thing I give mad props to Miss. Copell for pulling off.  While yes, there is some initial angst in the beginning and I really thought that’s where most of the plot was going to be headed towards, she really threw a wrench in my easy going angsty-romance – but I’ll get to that.  Nicks and Stone are like…a perfect harmony…a smooth base line…a gorgeous melody that you can’t get out of your head…and a beat that you never want to forget.  They just clicked…well not right away, but their connection and attraction is undeniable from the start and once we get over the foot-in-mouth moment with Stone, it’s smooth sailing.  They’re like carved from the same stone (haha…I’m punny!), but seriously these two were truly meant to be.

     ‘He was just so…touchable.
He didn’t move.  His eyes glazed over as he stared at her, his head at an angle.  “I wonder what you’d taste like if I kissed you.”
She shook her head, dazed at how sexy those perfectly innocuous words sounded coming out of his mouth.  “I don’t know.”
“Would you be sweet like strawberries?  Bubblegum?  Cotton Candy?”
Her heart picked up the pace, determined to match her breathing.
“Or would you burn me?  Like whiskey?”
She ran light fingertips over his brow, his lips, his cheeks, is eyelids.  For some reason, the nerve endings in her fingers seemed to have a direct path to her pussy.
“Why don’t you kiss me and find out?” she whispered.’  

So the angst…I was expecting something akin to the level to RT…and color me surprised when it didn’t happen.  Not that I didn’t like it but honestly…I could have used a little more angst where Stone and Nicks was concerned.  So what did I get instead of angst…oh…I got boat loads of suspense!  Like…I was never concerned for the established relationships that were in the book…I was just worried from one page to the next as to what the next threat might be or who might be breathing…yeah…that was a nice change of pace and kept me on my toes!  Which leads me to what those instances inevitably led to………tears.  The ugly cries that Shari is able to write are just…epic.  Legendary.  Like…crush my spirit and heart in a matter of sentences – and I’m sure you’re wondering why this is a good thing?  I’ll explain…

     ‘Someone once told her that the opposite of love was not hate.  It was indifference.  She’d never, ever felt indifferent toward Stone Jensen.’  

I live for that kind of emotion to be pulled out of me…good…bad…angry…happy…sad…I want it all!  I want to feel every ounce of it and Shari does that for me…both times I’ve nearly had an emotional breakdown around 90% (which kills me cause she takes you just to that point of thinking your safe and then snatches the rug out from under you!) and that’s because of one thing…the emotional connection I had.  My entire body, mind and soul had a complete emotional connection to the characters and the story line.  I can’t fake it, but when it happens, it’s amazing.  And even when this plot ventured into the ‘bordering paranormal-ish’ I was okay with it (and this is coming from a non-paranormal reader)…because even though you have to be okay with bending reality slightly (it’s not completely out there…but it’s toeing the line) it was still very much in the nature of the characters…if that makes any sense at all.  I’m being vague on purpose cause I don’t want to give any spoilers…but just trust me – if she can sway me, I’m almost positive she can convince anyone.

     ‘What was it about kissing him that seemed to make time stand still?  How did he always manage to make sounds and smells and coherent thought grind to a halt when he touched her, until it was just the two of them locked together in a sizzle of sexual electricity?  Stone Jensen’s hands not only made magic on the guitar, the made magic on her.’  

So I really wasn’t expecting this story to focus on as many different aspects as it did…I mean, I knew there was going to be the love/relationship aspect and then Nicks dealing with finding out about Asher but there was a welcomed bonus when we not only got Nicks and Stone’s POV’s but also Chelsea and Tage’s POV’s as well.  Now…I’m sure you’re thinking wow, that’s a lot of heads to be in but trust me when I tell you…it was necessary…it was completely fluid and it never once got confusing.  I cannot imagine trying to tell the story from only one or two POV’s because each person physically experiences something that is monumental to the plot and how events unfold…being told second hand just would take away from the entire experience, and while it was probably more difficult for the author, it was well worth the effort in my opinion.  I loved getting to know Tage and Chelsea as a couple more, which is almost a happy accident because…obviously I loved him just because of what he did for Chelsea in RT but it was hard to really fall in love with him as a BBF because I didn’t get to know him as well.  I mean, I fell in love with the whole Sorensen clan…all Nicks siblings (two sisters, two brothers – 5 kids!  Poor Chelsea!)…but of course I had a favorite.  TJ…Tage John Sorenson, Junior…the baby and of course I loved him because he was Nicks favorite too.  They had a special bond and I adored it.

     ‘It didn’t take long, did it, Stones?  That little vixen had him tangled up in knots so tight, he’d never get loose.  Not that he was trying.  Everything she did enchanted him, even the dirty looks she gave him sometimes.  She was an intriguing mix of sweet and spicy, sugar with a shot of jalapeño.’  

What else did I love…Charm and Pip, the other two parts of Wild Angel – they’ve got just as much personality at Nicks and I loved their friendship with her and the strength they found together.  I adored seeing more of Willow and Marybeth…they were crucial to RT so it makes perfect sense that they played a part in this book…I mean the list of what I didn’t love is probably shorter.  The one character I didn’t like was the evil, vile, despicable human that cause most of the suspense/drama throughout the book.  Mr. Albert Marius…there are some people that are just easy to hate…he’s near the top of that list…he made my skin crawl and I had an uncontrollable urge to vomit every time he was mentioned.  Let’s just put it this way, there’s a special place in hell for people like him.

  “That’s my girl.  God, I really do love you, Nicks.”
“I love you too.”  She liked that warm-all-over feeling she got when she said those words.  “We have something, don’t we?  You and I.  It doesn’t feel like a lie to me.  Is it?”
“This is not lie, baby.  This is forever.”  

Now this review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention a character that you really wouldn’t think would be as crucial given the way RT ended but…Asher Pratt both broke and healed my heart all over again.  Asher is actually pretty key to this story…obviously because Nicks eventually has to learn who her father is but his presence in the story is greater than I could have ever imagined.  That was another source of my tears because while I’m at peace (kind of…) with what happened to Asher, it doesn’t lessen the pain.  I realized that the first time his name was mentioned and my eyes instantly welled with tears (as they are right now as I am typing this).  Asher is just one of those characters who will forever live in my heart…I loved how he was incorporated into the story and the role that he played…

     ‘“What are you thinking?” she whispered as she studied his face.
“Lots of things.  How much I love you.  How freaking lucky I am to have you.  How perfect we are for each other.”
“Really?”  The hesitation he’d seen in her eyes suddenly vanished.
“Uh huh.”  He bent his head down to hers to that their lips nearly touched.  “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking you’re the only man who has ever gotten this close to me.  And it feels right.  I keep trying to find a reason why I should stop you.”  She gave a little puff of breath against his mouth.  “And I can’t think of anything.”
“Don’t stop me, Nicks.  Please…”  Nearly mindless with need, he caimed her lips with his own.’  

I have already demanded more from the Rock’n Tapestries series…because there is no way they’re over.  There is still so much to tell…so much more for Nicks and Stone…so much more for Wild Angel…I’m hoping we might even get some more of Stone’s band, Heavy Remedy too…but I won’t get too demanding.  Don’t get me wrong, I did love the ending…but I still don’t feel complete yet.  So I will stand tribute, with my lighter in the air and begging and pleading for the next book to put me out of my misery.  Rock On Philadelphia!

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