Author Name: j. leigh bailey
Book Name: Reckless Hope
Part of a series? If yes, can this book be read as a standalone? Yes, but can be read as a standalone
If a series, what is the series title? Letting Go
If series, what number is this book? Book2
Add it to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25548671-reckless-hope
Release Date: August 24, 2015
Blurb(s):
What's life without a little risk?
Or a lot of risk, if you're Sebastian Carlisle. He'll never live up to the legacy of his dead brother, so why try? Being the wild child in a family of stuck-up rich snobs suits him just fine.
Until he meets Micah Burke, and everything changes.
Micah's got too much going on for a relationship. Even if he could trust Sebastian, a distraction—a sexy, reckless distraction with a death wish—would only derail his carefully scheduled life. If it were just Micah, maybe that would be fine, but his mother and sister depend on him, and he can't let them down. Or at least that's what he tells himself.
A hot moment leads to a hot night leads to a connection neither of them are ready for. And when a crisis hits Micah's family hard, Sebastian will have to shed his bad-boy image and decide whether he can be the man Micah needs—and Micah needs to decide whether he'll let him.
Book two of Letting Go
Pages or Words: 67,000
Categories: M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance
Excerpt:
“I thought I knew what kind of person you were.”
“Yeah, you made that pretty clear.”
Micah cringed, but kept going. “You take for granted everything I work my ass off to achieve. It’s easy for you. And now I know there’s more to you than that. I don’t understand your choices, or the need for an adrenaline rush you seem to have.” He held up a hand to keep Sebastian from saying anything. He scooted up, resting his back against the handlebars. “I don’t have to understand. It’s part of who you are.”
“Somehow I don’t think this discussion is heading in a direction I’m going to like.” Sebastian drew his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.
“The thing is, you’re a bad influence on me.”
“I don’t—”
“You don’t even have to do anything. Take tonight, for instance.”
“Tonight?”
“I have a midterm tomorrow. I should be studying. Or even sleeping. Instead I’m here. I never have trouble doing what I’m supposed to do. Setting aside my ‘want tos’ to do my ‘have tos.’ Except around you.”
“I’m not trying to make your life harder. I’m just trying to be part of it.”
“That’s what I don’t get. You could have almost anyone. You could find someone a hell of a lot less complicated than me.”
“You may not believe it, but I don’t mind complications.”
Mari’s Review:
***ARC provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review.***
First of all I’ve got to say this book grabbed my attention from the first paragraph! The first chapter definitely setting the tone for the rest of the story.
Micah has been in charge of taking care of his paraplegic mother and 14 year old sister for a long time, even before the accident that killed his father and that left his mother paralyzed, he’d had to take care of both himself and his sister. He has two jobs and studies part-time to be a certified nurse. He goes out once a month to unwind and is on that night that he meets Sebastian and sparks fly. Much as he tries to stay away from Sebastian, thinking he’s nothing more than a troublemaker and a distraction he doesn’t need at that moment, he can’t stop going for more.
Sebastian is the typical charismatic bad boy, or is that just the mask he shows the rest of the world? He is so much more than what meets the eye and my heart broke for him several times during the book. He was loyal, very stubborn, sex on legs and broken, so very broken. He was definitely my favorite of the two. Micah I wished I could’ve slapped more than a couple of times, but Sebastian, I just wanted to hug. .
While I have to admit that one of my pet peeves is when there’s such a pointed difference between two characters, the good and the bad, so to speak, J. Leigh Bailey managed to find a balance in this and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that.
The writing was amazing, and I just adored the amount of depth that the author gave the characters, especially Sebastian. The chemistry between Sebastian and Micah was unbelievably hot and I really enjoyed seeing how things progressed between the boys as Micah began learning more of the real Sebastian. All in all, a fantastic read, that I couldn’t put down until I finished it. Also, while this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone and I, for one, can’t wait for Book 3!
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
Sales Links:
About the author:
j. leigh bailey is an office drone by day and the author of New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance by night. She can usually be found with her nose in a book or pressed up against her computer monitor. A book-a-day reading habit sometimes gets in the way of... well, everything...but some habits aren't worth breaking. She's been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. The last twenty years or so have not changed her voracious appetite for stories of romance, relationships and achieving that vitally important Happy Ever After. She's a firm believer that everyone, no matter their gender, age, sexual orientation or paranormal affiliation deserves a happy ending.
She wrote her first story at seven, which was, unbeknownst to her at the time, a charming piece of fan-fiction in which Superman battled (and defeated, of course) the nefarious X Luther. She was quite put out to be told, years later, that the character's name was actually Lex. Her second masterpiece should have been a best-seller, but the action-packed tale of rescuing her little brother from an alligator attack in the marshes of Florida collected dust for years under the bed instead of gaining critical acclaim.
Now she writes New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance novels about boys traversing the crazy world of love, relationships and acceptance.
Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/JLeighBailey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenniWrites
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4384864.J_Leigh_Bailey
Publisher: Carina Press
Cover Artist:
Author’s Interview
Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing J. Leigh Bailey, author of Reckless Hope.
Hi J. Leigh, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
- Do you have pictures that you use for your characters? Can you share them with us?
I don’t start out with pictures, but I dig for close resemblances when it comes time for cover art request forms. Most often, though, I’ll run across a picture and go “Oh, wow! That’s totally my Micah…” Almost from the beginning, though, Dylan O’Brien has been Micah. Especially when he wears glasses like for his role in The Internship.
I do have a (occasionally used) Pinterest board that I keep with things as I’m researching or as inspiration strikes. Feel free to check it out to see what kinds of images I have in my head.
- What kind of book would you like to write that people would see as a huge departure for you?
Given that 99.99% of the books I read are romance (in almost any sub-genre) a lot of people would be surprised to know I’d love to write a sci-fi/fantasy story. In fact, one of my earliest novel attempts when I was in high school was a sci-fi with magical elements. I got over 100 pages written during study hall one year. I still get stirrings of inspiration for these kinds of stories.
- Have you ever killed a character? Was it traumatic for you? If you haven’t killed one, would you ever consider it?
I did. In a gay YA novel I’m working on, I killed off a well-liked character. Her throat was slit in front of my main characters. It was very traumatic for me. I second guessed myself the whole time. I couldn’t even describe it in detail, which actually worked well for the scene because the character was in shock and sort of saw the even in flickering, time-stop images. A flash of knife, a gush of blood. Man, it was hard, though. I don’t think I’ll ever be easy about killing a character, not even a bad guy.
- Favorite location you’ve ever written about?
The book I just mention takes place in Cameroon, Africa. I studied International Relations with an Emphasis in Africa and the Middle East in college, and I loved getting back to the continent for the book. Cameroon is fascinating. Its borders contain every animal, every geographic feature, every demographic that exists in Africa as a whole. It’s like the Africa within Africa. Research for this was so much fun. I was able to use Google Maps and satellite images to trace the characters’ trip, even along barely-there red dirt roads. I could even see the stone wall marking the border between Cameroon and the Central African Republic. By far my favorite setting.
- What’s your favorite season and favorite activity for that season?
I love the changing colors and cooler temperatures of fall. The crisp air, the falling leaves… I love it all. My favorite part of fall is hiking through the state forests here in Illinois and Wisconsin. The scenery is awesome, and there’s always the chance to see deer or other animals that lay low in the heat of summer. I could live without the cold of winter or the scorching temps of summer, but those extreme temperatures are worth it as long as I can experience the changing seasons of fall.
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Rafflecopter Prize: An eBook copy of Nobody’s Hero (Letting Go book 1) and an eBook copy of Reckless Hope
Thank you so much for helping me celebrate the release of RECKLESS HOPE. Also, thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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