Kimmy Loves to Read: Built to Last

Showing posts with label Built to Last. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

BLOG TOUR, 5 STAR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Built to Last by Elisabeth Grace

With a drunk for a dad and a mom making pocket change at the local diner, no one ever thought Luke Garrity would amount to anything. After building a successful contracting business he’s proven everyone wrong professionally, but things in his personal life are upside down. Making it the exact wrong time for Scarlett to return to Saltwater Springs.

With a history of devastation and heartbreak between them can Scarlett and Luke make amends, or will secrets from the past threaten the foundation of Scarlett’s new life? Were Luke and Scarlett really built to last?

BUILT TO LAST is available now – add it to your Goodreads list here!

Read BUILT TO LAST for free on Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon

My Review

People who were/are able to buy this book as a whole story are lucky. I read this through Elisabeth's newsletter, so it took ten months to get all of Luke and Scarlett's story. TEN. MONTHS. I fell in love with them pretty much instantly, so it was a long ten months.

Scarlett and Luke were very much in love when they were younger. They even went as far as to talk about their future, but then tragedy struck and Scarlett left town. Now it is years later and Scarlett has returned to open a bakery. After losing most of her money thanks to a bogus contractor, Scarlett is in desperate need of help and turns out Luke is the one to give her that help. At first things are quite strained between them, but it doesn't take long for the two of them to become close again. Luke never did find out why she left, so once they start to rekindle their romance we find out that Scarlett in holding on to a big secret. The result of that is her holding back just a little because she knows that she can't give Luke everything they used to dream about.

It was very obvious that despite their time apart, Scarlett and Luke still loved each other. There were moments in the book where the two of them would reminisce about the past and I liked those moments the most. We were give glimpses into their young love and when Luke helped Scarlett relive some of those moments they used to have, it made me love him even more.

"Open your eyes, Lettie." Slowly, she opened one, then the other, squinting against the sunlight, which hurt her eyes after having been in darkness for so long. When her vision grew accustomed, she took in her surroundings and sucked in a sharp breath.

Luke had brought her to their spot by the riverbank. Back when she was in high school, they used to come here all the time—they'd hang out, drink beer, fish, and sometimes even make love in the grass beside the water. Back then, neither of them had had the luxury of having their own place, so some of their best and most intimate moments happened right in this spot.

"I can't believe you remembered how to get here," she said softly.

Luke had stumbled upon the spot when they first started dating and had taken great pride in showing it to her for the first time. The river was pretty shallow but still wide at this point, with tall trees looming over the opposite side of the bank. The side they were on had a small clearing where Luke had pulled his truck up beside the water. It was the perfect vantage point to watch the river bend in the distance and disappear.

"I'd never forget how to find this place." He paused for a moment, his expression growing serious. "I came here a lot after you left."

"Right. What was I thinking?" Scarlett chewed on her bottom lip. Of course. She'd been stupid to assume that he wouldn't have ever brought anyone else here after she left.

Luke must’ve been able to tell what she was thinking. "Not like that. I’ve never brought anyone else here. I would never do that." He gazed down at her intently, the blue in his eyes deepening.

"Why did you come here then?" she asked around the lump in her throat.

Luke brought his hand up to rest on her cheek and brushed his thumb slowly back and forth. "Because it helped me to feel closer to you when you were no longer in my life."

Tears sprang to her eyes because Scarlett knew the feeling well. While she'd been living in Boston, she would often pull out old letters that Luke had written her or listen to songs the two of them used to enjoy for the same reason.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered.

"You don't have to say anything, Lettie. I'm just happy to be back here with you again …and not just with the memories of you."

**Sigh** I love Luke. He's just so darn sweet.

If you love a good second chance romance, this is a must read. Especially if you are fan or Elisabeth's work. Or if you have never read one of her books, this is a great one to start with!

Connect with Elisabeth Grace

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Monday, November 16, 2015

RELEASE DAY BLAST & GIVEAWAY: Built to Last by Elisabeth Grace

USA Today Bestselling Author Elisabeth Grace's BUILT TO LAST is available now! We're so thrilled for readers to get their hands on Scarlett and Luke's story! If you love second chance romances and small town contemporaries, you definitely need to get your hands on this one!

About BUILT TO LAST

At seventeen, the small town of Saltwater Springs had been everything to Scarlett Devereaux—as had her boyfriend Luke. Never had she imagined she’d have to leave them both behind—until the night that changed everything. A decade after skipping town Scarlett returns to start over in the only place that ever really felt like home. But when nothing goes as planned, she’s forced to turn to Luke for help.

With a drunk for a dad and a mom making pocket change at the local diner, no one ever thought Luke Garrity would amount to anything. After building a successful contracting business he’s proven everyone wrong professionally, but things in his personal life are upside down. Making it the exact wrong time for Scarlett to return to Saltwater Springs.

With a history of devastation and heartbreak between them can Scarlett and Luke make amends, or will secrets from the past threaten the foundation of Scarlett’s new life? Were Luke and Scarlett really built to last?

BUILT TO LAST is available now – add it to your Goodreads list here!

Read BUILT TO LAST for free on Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon

Read an excerpt from BUILT TO LAST

“Place your left hand on the piece of wood away from where you’re cutting, but close enough that it’s comfortable.” She did as he instructed. “Good, just like that. Now you’re ready to cut.”

Luke moved to stand beside her. Scarlett was nervously biting her lip. “I don’t know if I can do this.” She glanced up to him, her eyes almost pleading with him not to force her.

He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to the spitfire of a woman she’d been blossoming into before she left town. Not only had she lost some of her Southern accent during her time away, but apparently she’d also lost some of her “hear me roar” attitude. What had shaken her confidence so much that she questioned her abilities? His stomach twisted at all the different scenarios running through his mind that could have made that possible.

“I’ll help you with the first cut.” Luke positioned himself behind Scarlett and leaned over her bent frame, placing his hand over hers. Her soft hand twitched underneath his for a second and then settled. “All right, the key is to keep an eye on the saw base as you cut and to push with enough force that the saw keeps moving through the wood, but not so fast that the saw seems to slow down. Sound good?”

She nodded, the movement of her body shifting her hips ever so slightly—enough that he became painfully aware of his crotch’s proximity to the juncture of her thighs. He shifted his weight, trying to get comfortable in pants that were becoming more uncomfortable by the second. Scarlett’s whole body tensed underneath him.

With a deep breath, Luke decided the best course of action was to ignore her response to being so physically close to him, even though her rigidity further twisted the knife she’d dug into him a decade earlier, leaving him wanting to question why he was never good enough.

Scarlett cleared her throat. “Let’s get this over with.” Her words dug the knife in deeper. “Once I have the first one under my belt, I’m sure it will get easier.”

Maybe that’s all he’d ever been to her—a notch in the proverbial belt for experience sake. He’d never thought he was just a good time to her, but she’d left him questioning everything. “Turn the saw on then, and I’ll help you guide it,” he said in a brusque tone.

The sound of the blade whirling against the side of the wood cut through the silence in the storefront and Scarlett jerked a bit, startled, bumping into him.

Not at all helping the situation below his belt.

Luke lightly squeezed her hand below his, indicating that she should push the saw forward. As she did, bits of wood and sawdust bounced up and into the air. Five seconds later, the small piece they’d cut fell to the ground and the saw’s rotation started to slow.

The noise died down, and Luke was about to congratulate Scarlett on making her first cut when a shrill voice rang out from behind them.

“Well, well. Isn’t this cozy? Still trying to sleep your way into high society, are you, Luke?”

Want to win a Kindle Fire? Stop by Elisabeth Grace's website for more information on how to win!

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Connect with Elisabeth Grace

Friday, October 2, 2015

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: Built to Last by Elisabeth Grace

We're so thrilled to reveal the new cover of Elisabeth Grace's BUILT TO LAST, which releases November 16th! Check out the beautiful cover below, enter to win an Amazon gift card, and be sure to preorder BUILT TO LAST for just .99c at a special preorder price!

About BUILT TO LAST

***SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE*** - Just .99c!

At seventeen, the small town of Saltwater Springs had been everything to Scarlett Devereaux—as had her boyfriend Luke. Never had she imagined she’d have to leave them both behind—until the night that changed everything. A decade after skipping town Scarlett returns to start over in the only place that ever really felt like home. But when nothing goes as planned, she’s forced to turn to Luke for help.

With a drunk for a dad and a mom making pocket change at the local diner, no one ever thought Luke Garrity would amount to anything. After building a successful contracting business he’s proven everyone wrong professionally, but things in his personal life are upside down. Making it the exact wrong time for Scarlett to return to Saltwater Springs.

With a history of devastation and heartbreak between them can Scarlett and Luke make amends, or will secrets from the past threaten the foundation of Scarlett’s new life? Were Luke and Scarlett really built to last?

BUILT TO LAST releases November 16th – add it to your Goodreads list here!

Preorder BUILT TO LAST now for just .99c through release only!

Amazon

EXCERPT

Luke Garrity pulled up in front of the non-descript storefront on Main Street and double-checked the address with the one the potential client had texted him earlier. He’d hoped to be there sooner but had gotten stuck dealing with a problem at one of his job sites. It was now getting to be about dinnertime. The shop owner had gotten lucky he’d had a client cancel on him; otherwise it would have taken him months to get here. That was the success he’d made of his business in the past decade. All work and no play had paid off.

Luke reached across the cab of his pickup truck to grab a notepad and measuring tape to bring inside with him. He shoved the small notepad in the front pocket of his shirt and deposited his aviator sunglasses on the dash.

He’d been in the middle of something when he’d gotten the text and had forgotten to ask whom he’d be meeting with. Though he hadn’t spoken to the person, it was clear from the text that he or she was in a bind and needed to get this job done fast. While he didn’t really have the time to devote to another project, he had a hard time not helping out someone in need. He’d spent the better part of his youth “in need” and knew full well what that felt like. He figured he’d take a look and see if there was some small way he could help.

He got out of the truck, slamming the heavy door behind him. The cool autumn wind bit into him, cutting through his flannel shirt. As he brought his hand up to knock on the glass window of the shop, Luke froze mid-motion when he saw her.
Scarlett.

His Scarlett. His Lettie.

Here.

In Saltwater Springs.

The girl that had shattered both his heart and his self-confidence when she’d left him behind to attend college. His stomach clenched, his heart spasmed, and his dick twitched. Three simultaneous reactions that perfectly demonstrated the complicated nature of his feelings toward this woman.

At that moment, she looked up from the construction equipment she was pushing to the side and noticed him standing there. She made eye contact and her eyes flashed with something—recognition to be sure, but there was something else that was there and gone so fast he didn’t have time to identify it.

The past decade had been kind to Scarlett. Her wavy, black hair still shone and hung over her shoulders but wasn’t able to hide her ample chest. Her eyes were the same shade of evergreen. He used to be content to gaze into those emerald eyes for hours as they lay in the back of his pickup truck during the lazy summer months. She wore a tight-fitting pair of jeans that hugged her curvy hips—hips he was sure he’d still have a hard time keeping his hands off of if he were within arm’s reach of her. But she’d never really been within his reach, had she? That was exactly why she’d left him without any explanation all those years ago.