Release Day Blitz: Color Me In (A Last Chance novel) by Riley Hart (Reviews+Excerpt+Exclusive Giveaway)

COLOR ME IN

LAST CHANCE, BOOK 2

RILEY HART

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 30, 2018

COVER DESIGN: X-Potion Designs

COVER IMAGE: Stone Creek City

BLURB

Caleb White has been a lot of places and made a lot of decisions he isn’t proud of. He’s ready to settle down and figure out who he really is. Where better to do that than Last Chance, the home he was ripped away from at sixteen? A fresh start is in order, but he has no idea how the hell to do that when he’s not even sure what he wants in the first place.

Ryan Daily is a pro at hiding his insecurities. He’s never fit in and has spent most of his life knowing there’s something missing. Just when he thought he’d found it, his whole world fell apart and he lost everything.

Then comes a sleepless night in a twenty-four-hour café, where Caleb and Ryan forge a connection full of laughs, junk food, and whispered secrets. In the middle of a budding friendship, they see the blossoming of desire neither of them expected. Ryan has kept his heart protected after having it shattered, and Caleb—no stranger to attraction—finds what he has with Ryan is on a whole new level from anything he’s experienced before. In a world of black and white, they bring each other color.

But life is never simple. When the past comes knocking, Ryan and Caleb will have to reach through the darkness to find the light they see in each other or risk slipping into the shadows for good.

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ByOVfZ

EXCERPT

At eleven forty-five, he made his way downstairs to see that Ryan was already there waiting for him. They were supposed to be at Shane’s around noon. “We taking my car? I’m not sure I can be seen in yours. I have a reputation to uphold.” Caleb watched, waiting for Ryan to react to his ribbing. 

He did, looking up at Caleb through a fan of his dark lashes as Caleb stood on the stairs. Jesus, he was sexy as hell. His hair was messy, which Caleb fucking loved. He wore jeans—not the ones Caleb said he liked—and a button-up black shirt with long sleeves. 

He looked so damn innocent, unsure, as he gave Caleb a playful grin and rolled his eyes. “Not flashy enough for ya, huh? The car doesn’t make the man, Salt Fiend.” 

The silly nickname sat warm in his chest. “Oh, fuck you.” Caleb reached the bottom step. “I know what kind of man I am, thank you very much. Grab your keys. You can drive. I didn’t want to anyway. Might even take a short nap on the way home—my belly will be so full and all.” 

“Well, shit.” Ryan followed behind him. “I didn’t think this through. Do I get a take-back?” 

“Nope.” Caleb grabbed his jacket from the chair, then reached for Ryan’s, handing it over. 

“Thanks.” His eyes darted away, looking almost bashful. “We need a coatrack.” 

They’d managed to break through the first layer of tension; Caleb could feel it. Unfortunately, the bastard seemed fucking thick, and he thought they still had a way to go. “We do.” 

Ryan felt his pockets, Caleb assumed, for his keys. His guess was confirmed when he pulled them out and said, “We should be on our way.” 

They made it almost to the door before his stupid fucking mouth got in the way. “You look good, by the way.” 

Ryan stumbled. Caleb reached out and wrapped his hand around Ryan’s bicep. “No need to get all flustered, Sweet Tooth.” 

“I’m not flustered.” 

“Not even a little?” Caleb asked. 

“Maybe a little.” 

He had a feeling that was the case. “I’ll give you space. We’re good, though? You and me? I didn’t fuck up?” 

“No.” Ryan reached out then and fixed Caleb’s hood, which had accidentally gotten tucked into the back of his jacket. “You didn’t fuck up. We’re good.” 

Caleb nodded. That was exactly what he needed to hear. 

5 Stars

Caleb has come back to his small hometown of Last Chance after years of being away. Although he didn’t leave on his own terms, but rather on his parents when they discovered he was gay and whisked him away at the age of 16, he did continue to stay away of his own accord, but now feeling like he needs to find himself he’s come home. There he gets reacquainted with his childhood best friend, Shane as well as Shane’s boyfriend Van, but the person that really catches his eye is the guy he meets at the all-night diner, Ryan. The two bond over their mutual insomnia.

I really loved Caleb and I especially loved that he was comfortable in who he was and he owned his past, even if some of it wasn’t pretty. He learned from his mistakes and made himself a better person. He was kind and caring and I loved that he was so patient with letting Ryan come to terms with his feelings. He let him go at his own pace and never rushed him.

I liked Ryan, too and my heart broke hearing his backstory. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain he went through. He was a great guy, too.

Caleb and Ryan together had explosive chemistry and were smoking hot, but most of all the love and passion they shared transcended the pages and you could feel it. I thought the progression of their relationship was natural, especially the physical aspect and Ryan’s accepting and coming to terms with his sexuality.

This was a well-written and enjoyable story and although it’s book two in the series, and I haven’t read book one, something I’ll be rectifying soon, I had absolutely no problems keeping up. Color Me In can definitely be comfortably read as a standalone. Very recommendable!

*copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

**Copy provided by the author for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement**

Color Me In is the second book in Riley Hart’s Last Chance series. You could probably read this story as a standalone, but the characters and town from the first story play a part in this one, so you’ll get more enjoyment if you read the series in the appropriate order.

When Caleb came out as a teenager, he could never have foreseen the turn his life would take. Caleb’s life is sad, knowing the lengths his parents went to, to try and prevent their son from being gay. Caleb has finally gotten his life together and moved back to his hometown to try and create a life for himself. He’s lonely without family, and no friends and is hoping that his hometown holds the key to his happiness. Ryan ran from his own pain and has made a life for himself. He lives a very careful existence, a loner with only superficial connections. Then insomnia for both Caleb and Ryan, and a love of late night junk food, introduced the two men.

Though Ryan and Caleb were drawn together from the first moment they met, it took a while into the story before the awkwardness between them disappeared. This was no instalove story, but instead, an acquaintance built over the love of late-night junk food and insomnia, to friendship, and to more. Caleb is gay and no longer needs to hide that in his life. Ryan has always thought of himself as straight, though, in reality, the only attraction he’s ever had was to his ex-wife until he met Caleb. After a night with too much alcohol and honesty, Caleb suggested that maybe Ryan wasn’t straight, but was instead demi and that rocks Ryan’s world. This has completely turned Ryan around and has made him look at himself differently, more acceptingly. Ryan and Caleb build a slow relationship, and it doesn’t come easily but both men have to work together to find a comfortable place together.

This was a slow build story that truly watched the characters build a relationship from when they were strangers. It allowed for self-discovery for each man and learning that there’s more to a spectrum than straight, gay or bi. I thought this relationship and story was really well done and made my heart sigh. This is a story you’re going to want to read! I really felt like it was really a slow simmer of a story and was taken aback when I was in tears in the last minutes of the book.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.

She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.

Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.

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Our lovely associate blogger Heather is giving away two copies of Color Me In by Riley Hart to two lucky readers, so just enter the rafflecopter and we'll draw the winners on Sunday. Good luck! 

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