*~*Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker Blog Tour – Excerpt, Review & Giveaway*~*

Title:   Five Ways To Fall  (Ten Tiny Breaths Book #4)

Author:    K.A. Tucker

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   June 24, 2014

Sometimes you can’t change—and sometimes you just don’t want to. Discover Ben’s side of the story in this fourth novel by the beloved, top-selling indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths, One Tiny Lie, and Four Seconds to Lose.

Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.

Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.

If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…

 

 

 

 

I am over the moon in love with the Ten Tiny Breaths series.  If you haven’t read them yet, I cannot say enough good things about them. 

 

BIGGEST EEEP EVER!!!!  I LOVE Trent…and I cannot wait to get my hands on this.  It’s a prequel novella to Ten Tiny Breaths and all from Trent’s POV!  Even better…it’s only 99 cents!

Title:   In Her Wake (Ten Tiny Breaths Book #0.5)

Author:    K.A. Tucker

Genre:   Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   September 1, 2014

Cole Reynolds had it all. And then one night he makes a bad choice… and loses everything.

When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he’d be able to lean on his best friends. The best friends that have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they’re gone. Worse, there’s the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys.

Everyone assures him that they know it wasn’t intentional and yet he can’t ignore the weight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. The all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won’t so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole begins to lose his grip of what once was important-college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It’s not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can begin to see another way out of his personal hell: forgiveness.

And there’s only one person who can give that to him…

 

I am over the moon in love with the Ten Tiny Breaths series.  If you haven’t read them yet, I cannot say enough good things about them. 

Check out my review and interview with Trent and K.A. Tucker!

Title:   Ten Tiny Breaths  (Ten Tiny Breaths Book #1)

Author:    K.A. Tucker

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

 

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness. 

 

 

Want to read my review and interview with Ashton & Livie?

Or even better…want to get in Ashton’s head and read an Alternate POV? 🙂

Title:   One Tiny Lie  (Ten Tiny Breaths Book #2)

Author:    K.A. Tucker

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

 

Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents’ tragic death and Kacey’s self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would…and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

 

Title:   Four Seconds to Lose  (Ten Tiny Breaths Book #3) 

Author:    K.A. Tucker 

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine year old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her doesn’t need to complicate her life with romance.

 Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

 

 

 

 

Are you ready for some Five Ways to Fall? 🙂

 

Reese

 

The first forkful of pie is sliding into my mouth when my phone comes alive with the sound of minions singing the banana song.

“Happy Monday,” I mutter into the phone.

“I hate numbers.”

“It’s a good thing you won’t be dealing with them on a daily basis for the next forty years, then.” Lina finished her undergrad degree last spring and passed her CPA exam with flying colors. Now she’s working at a small accounting firm down the street to collect a year of experience before she can apply for her license.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“Hiding from karma at Bayside.”

“Don’t drink the coffee,” she warns.

“Too late,” I mutter, swirling the last bit of the toxic substance in my mug. Every time I come here, I order a cup to go with my chocolate pecan pie. It’s habit, I guess. There’s no other explanation. The coffee is weak, it has a salty aftertaste, and there’s always a weird film at the bottom of the cup. No one with taste buds would like this crap.

With a heavy sigh, I divulge the horror of my day.

“So Mason is friends with your botched exorcism,” she states flatly. I can always count on Lina to lay it out like it is. No beating around the bush. No softening the blow. “What did the guy say to you?”

“That I owe him a new shirt.”

She snorts. “Well, he’s got you there.”

“Thanks.”

“Maybe I’ll take a break and swing by. We can mock people together,” Lina offers. Another plus to this job: having my best friend only four blocks away from me.

“Don’t bother. I’ve been here for two hours. I actually have to go back to the office. The law bot dumped three new cases on my desk today.”

“Fine. Do you want to come over for dinner sometime this week? Nicki’s cooking.”

“Does it involve turkey bacon?”

“All unconventional meats have been banned.” Since Lina owns the small two-bedroom-plus-den condo that they moved into, she is well within her power to stop Nicki from inflicting others with her strange dietary preferences.

“Then I’m in.”

“Okay, good.” There’s a pause, and then Lina sighs. “Look, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Well, this doesn’t sound promising.” I shove a large piece of pie in my mouth.

“It all depends on whether you want your best friend, the one who sticks up for you, has lied to the police for you, has gone along with all of your harebrained ideas, to be happy.”

“You’ve never lied to the police for me.”

“Senior year. The bottle of vodka in the trunk when we got pulled over.”

“Fine. One time,” I heave with exasperation. “What has that earned you today?”

“Well, I’ve started seeing someone that you may not . . .”

Lina’s voice blurs as I watch a ginger-haired woman flounce through the patio, her purse swinging on her arm, as happy as any home-wrecking husband thief could possibly be.

“Oh my God!” Chunks of piecrust get sucked down my throat with my gasp, stirring up a cough that I struggle to suppress. “It’s her!” I hiss.

Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 “Reese’s Pieces” “red” “Switzerland” Kisses

I have been in love with this series for over a year now…and it’s a bittersweet thought to think that it’s over. I’m a self-professed clinger and these characters are a prime example of why I refuse to let go. But honestly, it couldn’t have ended any better than with Five Ways to Fall…it’s the cherry on top of a fantastic, emotion filled series that will always have a special place in my heart. So…if you haven’t read the first three books in the series…Ten Tiny Breaths, One Tiny Lie and Four Seconds to Lose…then we must remedy that – honestly, Five Ways to Fall could, in theory, be read as a standalone…but it really makes more sense if you read the books in order. You understand a little more about Ben plus it gives you insight as to who other characters are and context…all that jazz – just makes the reading experience that much better. Plus…like I said – it’s a kick ass series, so hop on that! 🙂

Reese MacKay…wow, she is one tough cookie. I mean, from 5 years old to 21 she has been dealt a rough hand. From her dad abandoning her to her apathetic mom who wants to change her to her husband who cheated on her a few months into their marriage…she really can’t seem to catch a break, which probably accounts for the attitude problem everyone seems to think she has. Okay…so she’s not Miss. Mary Sunshine, but that doesn’t mean she’s a bad person. She’s just a little dry, mixed with a splash of sarcastic and a little dollop of screw you – I, personally, loved Reese. She’s different…she dyes her hair and loves motorcycles and knows how to play the guitar and can sing her butt off…she’s the epitome of young, wild and free…she’s a bit of a tom boy with a little sass. She’s funny and insanely smart…she’s got good friends but I will say her one downfall is how guarded she keeps herself. You don’t grow up the way Reese did without building some heavy duty walls…and the one time she lets them crumble for a guy who promises her the world, is the time she gets her heart crushed. Thank goodness for a certain blond hottie who restores her faith in the male gender.

“I’m starting my harem of cats.”
“You hate cats.”
“True. But I also hate limes, and look at me now!” I hold up my glass. “Besides, I’ve already found my Cancun fling. Lina, meet Mr. Cuervo. Mr. Curevo…My best friend, Lina.” Leaning in, I waggle my brow and whisper, “If you’re nice, he’ll let you call him Jose. I plan on spending the next six nights with this naughty little Mexican.” I wave a hand at the server as he whizzes by, letting him know that I need another drink by pointing to my nearly empty glass, as I add, “He can be a bit of a whiny bitch in the morning but he makes up for it by dark.”

Benjamin James Morris…I have had a wicked crush on Ben ever since TTB. There is something about him…he’s flirty and fun and irresistible. Plus the fact that he’s 6’3” with a hot bod, delicious smile and lickable dimples doesn’t hurt either. I love Ben’s playful nature and the fact that he’s a man whore…I can’t help it, their my Achilles heel! And Ben is a fan-fucking-tastic man whore…one of the best. He’s a creature of the environment he was raised in…drunk father who was, by all accounts, a complete and total jack ass…but one of the best mother’s in the entire world – and he calls her Mama – is that not the cutest thing on the face of the planet? (Trust me…the answer here is YES!) So we all know Ben’s story…his chances at a pro football career were basically stolen from him but learning the back story on why he became a lawyer was really enlightening. I knew from all the superficial stuff that I learned about Ben from the other books that he was going to be amazing…there is just something about him (I feel like there is an echo in the room…) but there really is and getting into his head was amazing. I fell hard for Mr. Morris…and there is no coming back.

“What else did Mason tell you about me?”
I see the dimples appear, even at this angle. “That you’re certifiable.”
“And?”
Ben’s gaze lifts to me. “And I like certifiable.”

I absolutely cannot get enough of Ben and Reese. From the way they meet…to the way they reconnect…to how their relationship develops…just all of it was magical to me and the way it unfolded was perfect. It felt completely natural and true to who Ben and Reese are…because lez-be-honest…they’re commitment phobes. Ben’s family history isn’t exactly conducive to long term relationships (especially when his longest relationship was 2 weeks when he was 16 years old) and Reese just had her heart ripped out of her throat by the first man she’s ever loved…so…neither one of them is looking for anything more than a good time and seriously, I think Ben and Reese have a great relationship…they’re friends. Friends that want to fuck each others brains out. Their core connection is sound though, I really felt like they got each other and had a solid base – they were always blunt and honest with each other, but then again that’s just who they are period – they never hid the fact that they were attracted to each other but weren’t interested in a relationship. It worked for them…it worked for me and it was a blast to read.

‘With a devilish gleam in Ben’s eyes, he dives down – yet again – for another kiss. Only this time he doesn’t pull away quickly, instead coxing my mouth open. In no time, my head is cradled in his hand, his tongue is tangled with mine, and I’m not refusing him. He really is good at this.
And this is so easy. And straightforward and painless, because he both know it’s completely physical and neither of us is looking for more. And, oddly enough, I feel like we’re friends. Ben’s kind of like a kid I used to play in the sandbox with who’s seen me through my embarrassingly gangly years and makes me laugh.
Who is now making his intentions known by pressing them up against my thigh.’

Ben and Reese are just…fun. They made me smile and happy…I guess that has a lot to do with both of their personalities – Ben is naturally a fun guy and Reese is so dry and sarcastic, I couldn’t get enough of her humor. Their banter and dialogue was amazing, I could read their conversations all day, every day. Another thing both of them have going for them are the people that support them. Reese is an only child and I’ve already talked about the winners she got stuck with in the parenting department…but she does have one man in her corner – Jack, her mom’s ex-husband…I was taken aback by how much he really cared for this wild and crazy girl that he honestly didn’t have to give two shits about. Reese’s mom cheated on him, he could have cut her out of his life for good and never looked back but the way he took her in and helped her when she desperately needed it was…touching, I really have a soft spot in my heart for Jack. Plus she also has Lina and Nicki…two completely different girls who balance Reese’s brand of insanity nicely. And…this review is really not complete without talking about Ben’s mama…Wilma. She stole the show – seriously…I’m not joking. I don’t know if I have ever fallen in love with a mother in a book as much as I did Ben’s mama…I love the way she doted on Ben, her spicy little attitude for a pint-sized 51 year old who can still manage to keep Ben in line…the woman has put up with hell for the past few years, deserves a million different kinds of awards for patience…resilience…strength….but honestly, I wanted her to be happy as much as I wanted Ben and Reese to be happy!

“I know it’s been a shitty day, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“So am I.” All I’ve wanted to do is wrap my hands around that giant heart of his and protect it from any more hurt. Hurt like I saw last night. The kind that you feel when you’re faced with the deeply rooted bitterness that Ben has had to face for years.

Wow…I can’t say it enough, this book was a great way to end the series…the plot was truly original, I loved the unexpectedness of it…I loved how deep we got with Ben and seeing the progress and the change in both Reese and Ben…I loved the humor…the angst…the sexual tension and chemistry…the emotion (yes…I cried (not an ugly cry, but liquid was shed from my eyeballs)…a couple times!)…it was all an amazing blend of fabulosity! (Yup…I made up a word…cause that’s how much I loved it) This book and this series wouldn’t be what it is without K.A. Tucker‘s amazing writing. She creates these flawed yet incredibly loveable characters that just completely steal my heart…and the angst and sexual tension just goes straight to my core…I’m helpless to her bewitching abilities.

“So, what does this mean exactly?”
I chew the inside of my mouth as I consider my next words. We’ve always been about blunt honesty. There’s not point changing now. “It means I want your womanizing mama’s-boy-football-player butt all to myself and if I catch you with any Twinkies or beauty queens or anyone else, you’d better run far and fast because I will hunt you down.”

I’m really sad that Ben and Reese are over…the ending was amazing, just like every other aspect, but I can’t help but want more (see…told ya, I’m a clinger!) I have one saving grace…that there is still Trent’s novella to be released…In Her Wake – so I’m still hanging on for dear life! I’m telling you, I’m a hard core TTB series fangirl…there is no cure for it and I’m completely okay with that.

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Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.