Blog Tour & Giveaway: Michelle Kemper Brownlow's "On solid Ground (In too Deep # 2)".

@MK_Brownlow     @cooljo78
The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog are pleased to be a part of the Blog Tour for Review: Michelle Kemper Brownlow's "On solid Ground (In too Deep # 2)".
(Giveaway at Bottom of Post)

Amazon.com:    http://amzn.to/1bhIUQ6
Amazon.co.uk:   http://amzn.to/IOfJyn

Synopsis:

Gracie survived an emotionally abusive relationship that wrecked her. Her ex, Noah, systematically chipped away at her self-esteem through intimidation, humiliation and infidelity which left Gracie unable to trust her own perception of his intentions. But after falling head over heels for Jake, her best friend and the man who stood by her through it all, she is ready to experience life in the way it was meant to be lived. However, Gracie may find it impossible to simultaneously heal from the trauma of abuse while navigating a relationship with Jake. Can she put her heart on hold in order to heal her soul? The sequel to the five-star debut novel, In Too Deep, chronicles Gracie's steps toward healing as she falls deeper in love, reaches out for help, stands on her own, steps out of her comfort zone, faces her biggest fears, and reconnects with a sensual, talented soul from her past all in hopes of finding herself on solid ground.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18376001-on-solid-ground?ac=1

My Review: Jo Rushton

(This is the second book in the "In too Deep" series and as it's a continuing story, you will need to read the first book in order to understand the story line and characters). 

"On Solid Ground" was such a brilliant sequel that most definitely had my heart melting. It gave me Gracie's story after Noah and how she was trying to get her life back on track.  

Gracie was such a sweet girl, the type who wouldn't hurt a fly. Her life in the first book had been filled with such sadness because of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of her (now ex) boyfriend. My heart had truly broken for this girl  but I was so glad to see things were starting to look up for her.  At last there was a chance for a happy life.. the kind of life she truly deserved and with the gorgeous Jake by her side, I could sense she would find the courage to get her HEA. However, I knew it wouldn't be plain sailing and I knew there were demons and nightmares she would have to face in order to move on. 

"And one day, just maybe, when someone would utter that N-word, 
my heart would have no response whatsoever."

Now what can I say about Jake. He was perfect and he was so in love with Gracie. He was so supportive of her, always there when she needed him. This was the kind of guy every girl needs in her life:

"I live to love you, Gracie. This is it for me. You are it. I'm not going anywhere."

In this sequel, I also met Calon. He was a guy from Gracie's past and he was HOT!!! Unfortunately he too was fighting his own demons and because of this he connected with her in a way that Jake couldn't. This connection between them did have me wandering if I was going to see the introduction of a love triangle... you'll have to read the book to find out!!! 

"On Solid Ground" was full of characters who were just lovely. They were characters who just wanted the best for this woman, who wanted to see her happy and who wanted to see her back to her former self... the girl she'd been before Noah had walked into her life: 

"Even though the last year of my life had been hell and left me with scars, I had never been alone. The people who loved me the most had stood right next to me through it."

Although this book didn't immediately pull me in, the more I read, the more I found myself really enjoying it. By the time I reached the end of the book I loved it. It was a perfect ending for a very emotional journey for Gracie. 

"On Solid Ground" left me with a huge smile on my face so I rated it 4 happy hearts!

Links to the first book in the series "In too Deep"

My Review:        
Amazon.com:    http://amzn.to/1bIEXtJ
Amazon.co.uk   http://amzn.to/1bIFbRK

Author Bio:

Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.

Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.

The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.

Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.

“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/michellekemperbrownlow
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6951309.Michelle_Kemper_Brownlow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.k.brownlow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MK_Brownlow

Grand prize giveaway: Prizes - Open to US and Canada:
-signed copies (signed by the whole cast of characters!) of both books along w some swag
a Rafflecopter giveaway