Saturday 28 February 2015

Monthly Blog Recap : February


Hello, I was thinking of making a blog entry summarising the whole month. So here it is the very first February Blog Recap. Mostly it’s just for those who somehow may have missed some of the posts. 

Well, but before I start reciting what happened on the blog, let me just say a bit what happened with me during this month. I guess, the first and the main thing is that I reached the age, where I can no longer get away with an excuse : “I’m a teenager!” Yep, I turned twenty. Hate to admit it, but now I really do get that older people (of 20-25) in my childhood, when they were saying : “When I was your age….” I found myself tell that a kid the other day. Second, is that I revived my blog. If I kept somebody waiting with my reviews, I am sorry, but I am back to work, with quite a lot of interesting stuff. 

I opened a new corner, right here. If you are a fan of Japanese manga, welcome here! Because I started writing reviews for the manga too! Excited? I am! Because I want to share all the fun that a manga is with you. I can’t wait to cover everything that I found on my laptop on the blog! And trust me, there are some really interesting and amazing books and manga as well! Stay tuned to Katie’s Corner and do not miss your next favourite book! 

And now our blog recap:


Book reviews:


4.5 Leaves

4 Leaves

3.5 Leaves
4.5 Leaves

4.5 leaves



Manga Reviews:


4.5 Leaves

5 Leaves

3.5 Leaves

4 Leaves


Release Day Blitz:






Book Blitz:







Cover Reveal:




Did any of these titles catch your attention? Well, what are you waiting for, click on it. and have a nice next month :)) Spring is already in front of our doors! 

XOXO

Katie

Book Haul & Blog Weekly #35


Book Haul & Blog Weekly is a weekly featute here at Katie's Corner inspired by Stacking Shelves by Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.


Book Haul:



Purchased/Freebies:








Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Goodreads – Amazon 

Everbound by Brodi Ashton



Everture by Brodi Ashton 


NetGalley/Edelweiss:



Author Request/Tour:




N/A


Gifted:

N/A

Blog Weekly:



Hello everyone, 

how has your week been going? was it good? mine was spectacular. i visited the carnival in the next city which was quite fun, but very exhausting. 

i got my new laptop, so i guess, some of the fonts will be changed on my blog, due to me getting a mac, when my previous laptop was a windows one. 

also, i am thinking of posting every week one book review and one manga review, however, some times there will be more book reviews. that is due to my lack of time to read book. and i need some time to write my reviews. hope you will still stay tuned. there will be a lot of book blitzes and cover reveals for you to munch one! Enjoy xD 

okay, i guess i'll be ending it here, however, i wish you a nice week, and have fun and read books!

XOXO

Katie

Release Day Blitz : Stars in her Eyes by Kennedy Kelly

                                                                                  SIHEBanner91qsLJdhcxL._SL1500_6543e-add2bto2bgoodreads                   6c0d2-synopsis

A red carpet and one look was all it took to ignite the spark between Sachi Waters and mega-star Drayke Sloan. With a proposition that is typically left in the movies, the two find themselves consuming each other in a whirl wind weekend. But when Sunday night rolls around, Sachi finds she didn’t just give Drayke her body, but her heart, too. He promised to stay in touch. But after months without a word, she gave up hope. Until life threw them together again. The spotlight, the fans, their past all working together to keep these two apart. Can their love over come it all? This book has mature content and is only suitable for those 18 and over.

SIHETeaser
c5ce0-buy2blinks

AMAZON * AMAZON UK

SIHETeaser2 13f89-about2bthe2bauthor

I was born and raised in Kansas City, MO where I grew up with four older brothers. I now reside in Overland Park, Kansas. I'd always loved to write as a child. My teachers would call home not because I was in trouble but because I had a creative imagination and they wanted my parents to know about the crazy stories I was writing. I've always been a hard worker. I started working with my family's company when I was 15 and still haven't stopped. I am a wife, mother of two, hold down a full time job and am now trying to be a indie author. I have a passion for reading and before I started writing I could be found with a Kindle in my hand morning, noon and night. I'm a picky reader so it's hard to please me but I feel like I have a keen eye for a good book. I hope you all will join me on my new journey as I release my first book Fearless Love. It can be very scary but with my passion for the written word I hope it will be well worth it.

 

Friday 27 February 2015

Manga Review : Dawn of the Arcana by Rei Toma


Title: Dawn of the Arcana 
Original Title: Reimei no Arcana
Author: Rei Toma
Artist: Rei Toma

Year of Release: 2009
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Harem, Historical, Romance, Shoujo

Status: Completed
Chapters (Translated in English): 53
Volumes & Chapters:
Volume 1 Chapters 1.1-3
Volume 2 Chapters 4-7
Volume 3 Chapters 8-11
Volume 4 Chapters 12-15
Volume 5 Chapters 16-19
Volume 6 Chapters 20-23
Volume 7 Chapters 24-17.5
Volume 8 Chapters 28-31
Volume 9 Chapters 32-36
Volume 10 Chapters 37-40.5
Volume 11 Chapters 41-45
Volume 12 Chapters 46-49.5
Volume 13 Chapters 50-53


Summary

"On that day, I became the enemy's possesion," Nakaba thought as she stood there, knowing her destiny was to be married for convenience to keep the peace between her country Senan and Prince Caesar's country, Belquat.

Between the two countries there has been a constant war for 200 years and Nakaba has become a sacrificial goat for her country despite the discrimination to her red hair and to the 'sub-person' (half-human, half-animal) Loki, who is her only friend and attendant at Caesar's estranged palace.

But what will Nakaba do when she foresees an event pertaining to Prince Caesar's demise? Will she save him? Or let him die in return to all the hate directed towards her by the people of Belquat?

My Thoughts

Review covers 53 chapters 


I suppose everyone knows what your own room is. Well, for about 18 years I didn’t have a room you could call my own, so when I started university and moved out to live alone I got this amazing room of mine. What a person would first do? I guess, put some favourite band posters or something like that. Well, that’s what I thought I would do, but no, for a year the walls were bare. Why I’m talking about my walls? Because “Dawn of the Arcana” made me want to put some pictures on my walls. If you walk into my bedroom now, it’s full of screen shots of my favourite mangas and around 40% of them are from “Dawn of the Arcana”.

I can say that it is one of my favourite mangas on this day. I’ve read for a quite a lot of times, and it never lost its impact on me. You may think that it is not that interesting after you uncovered all the secrets and you know what is going to happen next. Well, for some it may be like that, but not for me in this specific case. Every time I read it, it is as if I’m reading for the first time. The intrigue is still there and I find something that I’ve missed before and that makes me extremely happy that I found something new.

If you’ve read the summary, you should know that it is a story of a young girl called Nakaba, well, she is a princess and in order to achieve peace she has to marry the prince of the neighboring country Caesar. In the world that we are now, there are two major stereotypes. First one is that all royal family members have black hair and that red hair is a trait of the lowest class. The second is that were-people (half-human, half-animal) are not thought as people at all and are used as slaves. Why did I write these two stereotypes here? you might have guessed that Nakaba is no ordinary princess, she has red hair and her guardian – Loki is a were-person. Because of that nobody acknowledges either of them and many want to kill Nakaba, mostly, her newly acquired relatives. There are many secrets of origin of both Nakaba and Loki, but if I spill at least one, I will spoil the enjoyment of this manga. And I don’t really want to be accused of that. I will just say that those secrets will make you cry a lot and exclaim: “I kinda knew it”.

Through the manga we can see a lot of characters development, especially Caesar. And if in the beginning you just tolerate Caesar because he is handsome, some chapters after you are cheering on him full force and shouting insults on other guys. We got to see quite a lot of flashbacks but, if the flashbacks are annoying, here they are just right on spot. We experience nearly every character to the fullest and even bad characters get to have some good points. When you read the manga to the end you may say that such ending was not good and that it is not a happy ending at all, however, that’s what I thought in the beginning, but when I read the story second time I saw that only this way the story would have been complete and only this way the happy ending was achieved.

Dawn of the Arcana is an amazing story, which covers many aspects of human nature. It has love, hate, friendship, hardships, and a lot of adventure and a bit of philosophy in it. It makes you think out  of your box, look around yourself and see similarities between the world portrayed by the author and the world around us. I hope you will grab your copy now (all 13 volumes are available in English) and share your thoughts about it with me. Enjoy it to the fullest.

XOXO

Katie



Rating


Thursday 26 February 2015

Cover Reveal : Femme Fatale Reloaded by Kirsty-Anne Still (Pericolo #2)


Title: Femme Fatale Reloaded (Pericolo #2)

Author: Kirsty-Anne Still

Release Date: March 13, 2015

Find on Goodreads

I used to be fearful. I used to be admired. I used to be the Femme Fatale.
Until I fell.
I fell from my status, from the pedestal I had been placed, and I fell in love.
And that’s where it all went wrong.
I once thrived on one motto – Don’t feel, don’t deviate, kill.
Now, I thrive on betrayal, a reminder never to trust my heart, and the need to be Femme Fatale Reloaded.
It’s time I got myself back to the place I most belong – a cherished, yearned for secret weapon.
However, when a ghost from my past walks into my life again, pledging to be an Abbiati, my life turns upside down all over again.
My biggest problem was never the kill, but the thrill of the chase.
Apparently, love is the most dangerous game I can ever play, and my life is about to spiral out of control.

“Seeing as we’re all out of money, is it safe to say this evening is being cut short?”
“No, no, I don’t think the evening’s up quite yet. I reckon we should up the wager,” Andrew comments, leaning into the table. “Strip poker... I’d do anything to see Amelia stark naked and a loser.”
I don’t get time to roll my eyes and make some smart ass remark as Zane suddenly moves, lightning speed accompanies him, and he slams a knife down, nailing it between Andrew’s fingers, narrowly missing dismembering his middle finger. There’s total stillness in the room as he leans in, the creak of his chair is all that sounds out and we all watch with bated breath.
“Dare talk about my girl like that again and I’ll make sure it’s a bigger member I threaten next time, understood?” Zane asks, his voice dangerously threatening. “Well, Andrew?”
“U-understood,” Andrew stutters, his eyes wide, but he does the wrong thing of looking at me.
Zane, noticing, leaves the knife, and reaches up to grab Andrew around the face. He forces him, in a vice-like grip, to look at him. Zane’s fingers begin to go white while Andrew’s face squishes up with the tight hold. He waits a moment before chuckling and releasing his prey.
“You could never get a girl like Amelia, so dream on,” he states, sardonically executing the words. “I already beat two men for treating her any less than she is; don’t think I’ll make an exception for you right now.”


I used to be just another Fanfiction writer! That was until one person showed real interest in my work. And then another, and then another, until I had this whole group of people reviewing like crazy and wanting original work from me. I’d spent years writing for free online, I didn’t believe I had it in me to publish something!
But I’m glad I did!! I never imagined pushing my work and striving to reach my ultimate. I never imagined I’d be the girl who started The Viper Rooms! But who am I to deny the inspiration when it hits?
I love writing, it’s a lifeline. I love creating a world that others fall into. I love having the control to make a whole new world. It’s like a dependency, an addictive one. It’s one of the things I’m extremely proud of.
As much as I complain, I love the mini dialogues that go on in my head, the plotlines that attack me when I least expect them to. The ones that jump to life at the most inappropriate times and drive me totally crazy!!
For now I split my life between writing, dreaming, working, and volunteering with children.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Cover Reveal : Blood Stitches by Erin Fanning



Check out the fantastic cover art for Erin Fanning's upcoming paranormal release. Continue below for an excerpt and the chance to win a gift card.



Release date: May 12th 2015

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Pre-order:Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

It’s called El Toque de la Luna—The Touch of the Moon. At least that’s how nineteen-year-old Gabby’s older sister, Esperanza, refers to the magical powers she inherited from their Mayan ancestors. Esperanza says women with El Toque weave magic into their knitting, creating tapestries capable of saving—or devastating—the world. Gabby thinks Esperanza is more like touched in the head—until a man dressed like a candy corn arrives at their Seattle home on Halloween. But "Mr. C" is far from sweet…


Soon, Gabby and her almost-more-than-friend, Frank, find themselves spirited away to a demon ball, complete with shape shifters—and on a mission to destroy Esperanza’s tapestries before they cause an apocalyptic disaster…And before it’s too late to confess their true feelings for each other.

EXCERPT


A gust of wind scattered leaves across the University of Seattle campus. My hair tangled over my face. New contacts tortured my eyes, and books weighed down my backpack. It didn’t matter. A tornado could have snatched me up. As long as it carried me home and put an end to the anniversary of the worst day of my life. 

“Watch out, Gabby.” My best friend Frank thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his pinstriped suit. “We’re being followed by a giant candy corn.” 

“Giant candy corn? Yeah, right.” If I turned around, Frank would laugh and say, “Gotcha”, or some other dorky thing. The mind-numbing boredom of Calculus I, our last class of the day, always set Frank off, making him zanier than usual. 

“I mean it. We’ve got a candy corn on our tail.” Frank whistled a Lester Ruben song as he sauntered ahead. 

“Okay, okay. Let me see this Halloween wonder.” If I didn’t give in, Frank would never leave me alone. I whirled, ready to hear Frank’s laugh, and almost ran into a man. His face glowed orange, like someone who’d spent too much time in a tanning booth, and he wore a white cap pulled down to his ears. A yellow scarf hid his neck and chin. For once, Frank wasn’t kidding. The man resembled a giant candy corn. 

Shredded paper and a postage stamp poked out of his scarf, and a moon decorated an edge of the knitting, like one of my older sister Esperanza’s creations. It didn’t seem possible, but no one else I knew added garbage and a signature moon to their knitting. A wool coat covered the rest of him, except his face and steel-tipped boots. 

“Sorry.” I jumped back. 

Frank’s chuckles mixed with squirrels chattering in a nearby tree. Drizzle moistened my forehead, and a cold dampness seeped into my bones. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, like watching Esperanza unravel her knitting one stitch at a time to fix a mistake.



About the Author
Erin Fanning spends her summers on a northern Michigan lake, where her imagination explores the water and dense forest for undiscovered creatures. In the winter, she migrates to central Idaho, exchanging mountain bikes and kayaks for skis and snowshoes. She’s the author of Mountain Biking Michigan, as well as numerous articles, essays, and short stories. 




GIVEAWAY






Tuesday 24 February 2015

Book Review : City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments #6)


Summary (from Goodreads)

Title: City of Heavenly Fire

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publication Date: 27 May, 2014

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

GoodreadsAmazon – Barnes & Noble






Summary:


 In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!



My Thoughts:


I read the book after two or three days it was published. I mean I’ve been expecting it for 2 years. However, the review is being published only now. Guess, I didn’t have a paper on me when I finished reading and so I didn’t store my thoughts. But here I am now, covering my most anticipated book of 2014 in 2015.

This is the last book of the Mortal Instruments series. To say the truth, I was expecting more, but I still did get a lot from it. Clare was making a lot of spin offs during the book to link it to the next series, which will be out in 2016, if I am not mistaken. My most expectations crashed when Sebestian died. Not by him dying, I mean I knew he was going to die, but his last words. I would have thrown the book over the room if I was reading the paperback, however, I was reading on my tablet and I love it too much to throw around. I am sorry, but I need to say this, hence the spoilers, when he apologizes for all he did before his death, it is just too not Sebastian style. I would have preferred him staying the cold-blooded psychotic bastard he was throughout the series that to miraculously turn into a good boy. I guess Clare wished for him to say sorry and she wanted to show us that he was not all that bad, but still, I did not really like that.

Many secrets have been explained, and many gave me piece of knowledge on everything. Some of our favourite characters from the Infernal devices appeared and saved the day. Also, I guess Clare loves absolute happy endings. The book ended with mostly all of the main characters who came from book 1 to the end with a happy ending. One thing that I adored is the Seelie queen. I guess I have a soft spots for villains. But I loved her only for her wit. And I really mean it. Her wit is absolutely amazing. But so is her playing with words. And hell, she does that masterly. The moment when she swears not to tell Sebastian that Jace, Clary and the company departed to his world and as soon as they leave, she contacts Sebastian telling him, that they came to her place. She explains it that she swore not to tell him about their departure, but not about their arrival. That moment fascinated me, and I think it made me closely listen to my own words and what people tell me, when they ask for favours or stuff.

Nevertheless, the book was a suitable conclusion for the series and it gave enough of mystery and intrigue for the next series to keep me motivated to read them. I do hope that you get your copy now, if you still haven’t. And if you are new to the world of the shadow hunters, well, what are you waiting for? Start reading it right now. A whole world of amazing creatures and especially a lot o adventures are waiting for you. Enjoy this amazing thrilling ride to its fullest. Please, share your thoughts with me, they mean a lot to me.

XOXO

Katie

My Rating:



Monday 23 February 2015

Double Cover Reveal: What We'll Leave Behind & What You Left Behind by Len Webster


Title: What We'll Leave Behind

Author: Len Webster

Release Date: June 23, 2015

Find on Goodreads

One chance meeting on a white beach in Thailand would set their story in stone.
Eighteen and fresh out of high school, Stevie Appleton is about to embark on a form of freedom she has never known. When offered the chance to go to Thailand to celebrate the end of high school, she takes it. What she doesn’t know is that saying yes would lead to meeting him.
Having just finished his Bachelor, Julian Moors can’t wait to party away the last three years of university. All he wants from his holiday in Thailand is to relax on the beach, drink and have the time of his life. However, the moment his eyes land on the beautiful blonde reading on the beach, he knows he can’t stay away. All his other wants no longer matter. What does matter is getting to know the girl behind the mockingbird.
Enter Stevie and Julian’s memory vault.
No names. No past. Just right now.
Seven days to fall in love.
Seven days until their end.
Seven days until they both wake up heartbroken.
And four more years until they meet again.
“So, who was the girl you were talking to on the beach earlier today?” Dean asked, nursing his beer.
Julian scanned the area around the makeshift dance floor and bar. No Blondie. He knew the moment he walked away he should have asked for where she was staying. But no. He went for the ‘you’re going to miss me when I’m gone’ approach. But it seemed to turn out to be the ‘I’m walking away and I’ll lose you’ goodbye. A move only made by an idiot.
Staring at the bonfire, he pouted. “Just a girl.”
Dean let out a low laugh. “Sure,” he slowly dragged.
“What?” Julian raised a brow.
“Mate, I’ve seen you in clubs and on campus. Never seen you stumble like you did. You’re normally in and out with the phone numbers,” Dean explained.
“Whatever,” Julian sighed, knowing his mistakes. “Have you spoken to Willa?” he asked, trying to change the subject.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Dean shake his head.
“She’s giving me the silent treatment after our fight. She hasn’t been herself since we got here.”
Turning his head, Julian stared at Dean and smiled at the concerned glint in his eye. “Maybe you should leave the beach party and go home to her?”
“She’ll probably tell me to go away.”
“Trust me, go talk to her,” Julian instructed.
“I don’t think—”
“Don’t think. Do.”
Dean passed Julian his beer and nodded. “Okay. I’ll go see what’s wrong with her.”
Julian didn’t bother to look if Dean was walking back to the villa. He knew deep down that Dean loved Willa just as stupidly. Fools are the ones in love. And love is for the fools.
Fools, fools, fools.
But wait.
I’m a fool.
Not a ‘love’ fool.
But one of those fools who wait.
“Excuse me, you haven’t seen my friend have you?” her voice asked.
Julian froze and a smile instantly crossed his lips. He quickly turned around to see Stephanie in a white summer dress that hit her knees. She tilted her head and raised a brow at him.
You’re here, Stephanie.
“Your friend?” he asked, his smile not yet disappearing.
She nodded. “Yeah, he’s this annoying idiot. He wouldn’t be hanging out with you. You seem too serious by the way you’re glaring at that fire.”
Pursing his lips, he nodded his head at every word she said. When she stopped talking he let his eyes roam her face. Taking in the glint in her eyes, her cute nose and her plump lips. He kept his stare on her mouth longer than necessary and he knew that.
I’m going to kiss you, Blondie.
I don’t know when.
I don’t know how.
But I will.
His heart twitched at the thought. Friends kissed. He was sure one would be harmless. Clenching his eyelids tight together, Julian ignored the desire in him to want to kiss her right here, right now. It was all superficial. He enjoyed her exterior. The interior, her personality, was one he was going to take his time learning. She had already fascinated him with her book choice and her smart mouth. He wanted to know more.
“Julian,” she said his name so perfectly it was like each letter was voiced carefully.
Once he opened his eyes, he pushed his desired thoughts away. The hesitant look in her eye screamed ‘friends.’ In the end that’s what they’d be. But he’d be damned if he missed out on the knowledge of what her lips were like on his.
Baby steps, Julian.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” he confessed.
Stephanie shrugged. “You wanted me to come for some reason. And well, my roommate booted me out of the room. I don’t know where the other girls are so I thought what the hell.”
“This feels like a booty call. I am offended,” he teased.
She shook her head. “That was lame.”
“Do over?” he asked.
“Not on your life,” she sassed.
Shoulders sagging, Julian spun around and looked back at the fire. “You’re kinda mean, Blondie.”
Seconds passed and she stood next to him, also staring at the flames. “You should be used to it. We’re friends, remember?” 

Title: What You Left Behind

Author: Len Webster

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Find on Goodreads
No amount of white sand or distance could bury their past.
Some things are just never meant to be forgotten.
When Julian Moors returned from Thailand he left behind all his belongings, his father and only brother in Melbourne and moved to Sydney. One girl shattered his world and left him with more questions than answers.
Behind the persona, Stevie Appleton tries to outrun her past. Nightmares and memories have started to collide, putting her future and her heart at risk. No one can know the secrets she tries to keep locked away, even if it means betraying the people she loves the most.
Everyone has a story but not everyone has a past quite like Stevie and Julian.
When they meet years later, don't expect a happy ending. The past holds skeletons and not even these skeletons can be buried.

Looking across the dance room, Stevie noticed Rob standing alone by a table. Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. It was hard for her to let go of her past and be with him. Something about his eyes and his smile reminded her of the man she left behind all those years ago. Being together was meant to make Jewel, the woman from the bar, jealous but somehow Rob fell deeper. And as hard as Stevie tried, she couldn’t make herself to fall in love with Robert Moors.
Julian.
His name made her flinch. She tried not to remember that name but it had always been hard to. Stevie rubbed the back of her neck at where she had his initial tattooed. It was a spur of the moment decision that he had chosen to do in order to leave her comfort zone. Looking back, she should have had it removed but she couldn’t get herself to do it. Somehow they were the better chapters in her life, even though it was chapters she wished she could just forget. There were days when she wondered if he kept her initial tattooed on his chest. According to him that was where her name belonged. She was foolish to believe him then. They were just a ‘summer fling.’
The times after Thailand had been her darker times. Only her stepbrother, Jarred Harper, brought her back. When she left for London, she vowed to never let her secrets about Julian and Thailand to ever be revealed to Jarred. Sighing, Stevie placed the envelope on the table next to her and glanced back at Rob. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, to tell him it was over, but she couldn’t stay with him. She never had a problem being with men, that she knew well, but Rob was different. Rob was an exception.
If only I met him first, then maybe things could have been different.
Rob had never looked at her the same since she had called it quits. But Stevie knew why he hadn’t. Since he laid eyes on Alison O’Connor, Stevie knew things had changed. No matter how much Rob tried to hide it, she knew he was attracted to the young Sydney socialite. And that secret smile he directed towards Ally as she danced with her little cousin, CeCe, confirmed it.
Shifting her focus back at Noel and Clara dancing, Stevie was envious. Just the way Noel looked at her best friend with such love made her jealous. It was disgusting how jealous she was. She was happy for them but a love like theirs was only for the privileged and the pure. A love like theirs was only for them and no one else. Everyone who watched were intruders. Outsiders looking in.
"It'll happen for you."
Turning her head, she instantly smiled at the man next to her. His freckles had always made her smile. If she ever wanted to make someone proud, it would always be him.
"Big talk for someone who already has it," she said.
Jarred sighed and then gave her a tight smile. "Stevie, don't be so hard on yourself. What they have, what Annie and I have, you'll have it someday. You're a good person that made a mistake. Don't punish yourself for the rest of your life. You deserve love, just don't run or you'll miss out."
I already had it.
I already ran.
I already missed out.
The guilt weighed heavy on her chest and threatened the resurfacing of the memories she had. She had left him. She gave him no reason or chance. She just wanted to vanish.
I was afraid to be in love with him.
I was afraid that maybe he could love me.
It was too spontaneous.
It didn’t make sense.
“I don’t deserve love, Jarred. You were in London. You saw what kind of person I really am. What I’m really capable of,” Stevie said, remembering those nights he had come to rescue her.
 “Don’t. You’ve come a long way since then. You were lost. I don’t judge you base on those times. I know what a kind hearted person you are. You are responsible for that,” Jarred said, pointing at Noel as he kissed his wife.
It was the only thing she had ever done right in her life and that was making sure Clara found her way back to Noel. Convincing Liam had been easy. All it took was alcohol to get him to open up. Clara had been a tougher task—she had almost given up her happiness for Liam’s.
“I didn’t do anything. It was all them.”
Jarred snorted. “You were the one to convince Liam to go to Boston. You know Clara is forever grateful to you.”
Stevie focused down at the envelope and then back at her stepbrother. “I’m going to miss her,” she confessed in a small voice.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, Jarred nodded then said, “Me, too. You know, one day, someone is going to want to love you the way Noel loves Clara… maybe even more.”
Stevie’s heart ached. She wanted a love like theirs but she knew she never deserved one. Not when she had it. Not when she decided it was better to walk away than feel it. And after that last morning in Thailand, she had decided she never wanted to feel anything as intense as she did with Julian. No matter how much she had wanted to.

The truth is, Len Webster is a romance-loving Melbournian with dreams of finding her version of ‘The One.’ She calls Australia home, but secretly wishes a man with a beautiful accent would whisk her away. She’s been called a hopeless romantic and a firm believer of happily ever afters, which she doesn’t object to.
Having just completed her Bachelor in Business and Commerce, Len can be found daydreaming of her next Europe adventure or swooning over Mr. Darcy. Her best friends are a hot cup of tea, red velvet cupcakes, a warm jumper and her MacBook, ready to write to her heart’s content.