Book Blog Tour ~ Cookies by Teodora Kostova ~ (Reviews + Teasers)
Title: Cookies
Author: Teodora Kostova
Release Date: April 17, 2016
Pages: 242
Blurb
I went to war, running away from myself. I came back in pieces to find out who I really was...
It took me nearly ten years, two tours in Afghanistan and losing a leg to come to terms with who I really am.
Two years after coming back from war, I can say that I’m finally content. I’m as fit as ever, my prosthetic leg allowing me the freedom to move and exercise as if nothing has changed. I own a small bakery in the centre of Cambridge, and I have a loyal circle of friends that I can always count on.
And yet...
Yet, there’s something missing. A part of me craves the intimacy, the deep connection to another human being. But another – bigger – part of me is terrified of letting anyone in.
My internal conflict didn't stand a chance when I met Jay. He stormed through my defence walls like a hurricane, wrapping around me with gentle force until I had no choice but to surrender.
Surrendering has never felt so good.
Will Jay want to stay when he sees the real me? When he sees the nightmares and insecurities clawing at my soul? When he realises the burden I come with may be heavier than we both can carry?
Buy The Book:
4 Stars
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Amir is a war hero, who has come back from Afghanistan, an amputee, missing part of his leg. He now owns and runs a bakery "Cookie's". He meets Jay, a local college student, when Jay comes into the bakery, it's an instant attraction for both men.
I love war hero stories, and while this was a pleasant read, I went in thinking I was going to get much more emotional turmoil than I did. I thought Amir needed to be a bit more broken. Most of what you'd think an amputee with PTSD is dealing with, was dealt with off page before the book started. There were opportunities where the author starts to take Amir down that road. Moments where I'd think, "okay here we go, finally some action", but then she'd pull back. Don't get me wrong, Amir's story is heartbreaking, I just felt for the length of the novel it would have been a better read had it had more angst.
Now here's what I loved about the book. Amir and Jay are extremely lovable characters. I adored both of them, and they just fit together so well. They were so sweet and the chemistry they shared was out of this world. You could feel the love they shared. The sex was not only plentiful, but smoking hot as well. The story is well written and paced well.
There were some great secondary characters in the book that not only added nicely to the story, but some have a story of their own to tell, I suspect. I'm hoping we see more of them in the future.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read and I'd highly recommend it!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Amir has gone through a lot of things, his father's betrayal, war, losing his leg and his burns, PTSD, and while he craves having someone to share his life with, he's also afraid to let anyone in, afraid of their reaction to his burns and his prosthetic leg. He has run away from other relationships because of this fear, but when he meets Jay, he simply can't stay away. Yes, he's still scared, but the attraction he feels toward Jay overpowers almost anything else.
Jay, for his part, is above supportive and very patient. Always trying to show Amir how much he means to him, how his scars and his leg don't bother him at all.
The chemistry between the two of them was amazing and Teodora Kostova is a master at writing sex scenes that are not only filled with emotion and hot as all hell, but that also never feel repetitive or just too much.
I adored Chris, Freddie and the guys from the Vet Centre, and of course, Flo, too! I would love to see more of Greg and Shane, if Teodora were so inclined to write more about them. *nudge nudge wink wink* And of course, it was so nice to see both Jared and Fenix in this book.
This was an amazing read, full of heart, with light angst and a whole lot of feeling, that left me with a huge smile on my face! Highly recommendable!
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
About The Author:
Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job a few years ago when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid.
Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.
Twitter: @Teodora_Kostova https://twitter.com/Teodora_Kostova
E-mail: t.t.kostova@gmail.com
Instagram: teodorika1
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