Sunday 15 December 2013

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Samantha Towle's "Trouble."

@samtowlewrites    @shhmomsreading
The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog are pleased to be a part of the Blog Tour for Samantha Towle's "Trouble."

~ 4 Hearts Review ~

Amazon.com:  http://amzn.to/I1ABkZ
Amazon UK:   http://amzn.to/I1zzoX
Smashwords:    https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/379553
iTunes:             http://bit.ly/IkYtQY

Synopsis:

Mia Monroe is running. Running from a person she doesn’t ever want to find her. Running from a past she doesn’t ever want anyone to know. Desperate to find a future, that yesterday, she could only dream of having. 

Jordan Matthews likes easy. Easy women. Easy life. 

Then he meets Mia. 

She’s damaged, troubled and has more baggage than any person can carry. But the more Jordan gets to know Mia-for the first time in his life-he finds himself wanting to try hard for something… for someone… for her.

And then life isn’t so easy anymore. 

Jordan is everything Mia shouldn’t want. A whole bunch of dirty hotness, tattooed, cocky bad boy, who made his money at poker tables and picked his women up in bars. Yet, Mia finds herself falling for him. Then the past Mia was running from, quickly starts to catch up with her. Because that’s the problem with running… you have to stop sometime. 

And when you stop, you get caught.

Goodreads:   http://bit.ly/1efZ4Oo

Blog Tour Review: Surj Harvey

Mia Monroe's life was one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and despite the prologue luring me into a false sense of security, things for this woman would get a whole lot worse before they started to get better. The first 10% of "Trouble" was such a harrowing, stomach churning read but it was Mia's life and it really helped me understand her character and her actions further on in the book: 

Why do I stay? Because it's all I know. All I've ever known. Like a bee drawn to honey, 
I was drawn to a man like Forbes because the life he offers is the one I'm used to. 
I'm not playing for sympathy here. My life is what it is. I live it. 

In Mia, I got a woman who was so resigned to the life she had. It was all she'd ever known and even when she had the opportunity to start over, she ended up out of the frying pan and literally into the fire. I could sense the defeat in her, the acceptance that this would be her lot in life and that really was just tragic. Fear ruled her life and her method of coping was just devastating. I kept wondering if she'd ever get a break. It would take one final blow for me to see a much needed change in her character.

Gradually I saw Mia become stronger and more confident in her own right. The change was slow which made it more realistic but the past still haunted her and that fear was still there. Every now and again I would see it rear its ugly head through flashbacks or involuntary reactions to certain words, phrases or situations. 

Jordan Matthews wasn't the guy I would have pictured as Mia's knight in shining armour. Hell no:

When it comes to women, I put my dick in and keep my heart out. It's the easiest way. 

He was cocky and so very self assured... bold for want of a better word. I thought he was kinda cute with it though. He didn't do relationships and most definitely didn't do love!!! You gotta give the guy credit though because he was always upfront and honest about it. I couldn't help but fall for Jordan because I knew why he behaved the way he did. Yes part of it was his character, but the other half was because of his past. It was no big secret and because I got chapters from his POV, I became privy to that information quite early on. The thing that really reeled me in though was his sense of humour. He was funny... like side splitting hilarious with an internal dialogue that had me in stitches. 

My life has just seriously got hard. 
Kind of like the permanent state of my cock while around Mia Monroe. 

From the minute Jordan met Mia, there was a shift in his character but by god was he was going to fight it. I loved that battle he fought because I knew there wasn't a cats chance in hell he'd win.  This girl was so under his skin... he was offering to cook her breakfast... Jordan Matthews had never cooked  breakfast for anyone in his life!!! 


She smiles up at me, and it feels like I just got punched in the chest. 
That is seriously starting to drive me crazy. Not the smiles … no, those are awesome. 
It’s my reaction to them that’s pissing me off. My reaction to her.

I'm so glad Samantha Towle didn't turn Jordan and Mia's connection into an instant relationship because that just wouldn't have been right for the characters or the story line. But the waiting just about killed me (lol). The attraction slowly built despite both characters fighting it for their own reasons. What started as an act of kindness, turned into friendship, turned into flirting, turned into hand holding.... you get the picture? This one was a slow boiler and by the time they finally kissed, I was 60% into the story... yes 60%!!! But holy hell it was worth it. These two were just beautiful together and to see the character transformation in both Jordan and Mia was just heart warming. 

I loved the writing style in "Trouble" and despite joint POV and several flashbacks throughout the book, the story flowed perfectly. The twist at 75% completely shocked me and the fallout was horrific but it was this drama that really ramped the story up a level. I'd gotten complacent and was enjoying the merry little dance between Mia and Jordan, the sub plots somewhere in the back of my mind. I should have realised the past would come back with a vengeance and it did. 

Samantha Towle covered some very serious issues in this book, but gave them the due care and attention they deserved. She gave the reader a realistic and honest account  instead of a sugar coated version so be prepared to be pulled out of your comfort zone. Was it uncomfortable to read? in parts, most definitely but the detail was absolutely necessary if I was going to even begin to understand Mia's character. 

"Trouble" took me on such an emotional journey that was full of pain, anger, frustration, love, healing and believe it or not, a hell of a lot of laughter. This is a standalone novel so there'll be no waiting for a sequel which just made my day. I loved Mia and Jordan's story and rated it 4 stars for the most part but a good 4.5 hearts for the final 25%. 


Displaying Trouble Teaser #4 Jordan POV.JPG

Author Bio:


Samantha Towle began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn't stopped writing since. She is the author of The Mighty Storm, The Bringer and the Alexandra Jones series, all penned to tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, and more of her favourite musicians. A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, she lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.

Author Links:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Books-by-Samantha-Towle/230032170346603
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Author website:  http://www.samanthatowle.co.uk/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4838933.Samantha_Towle?from_search=true
Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17257484-trouble?from_search=true

Giveaway:  5 ebook copies of TROUBLE
a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 comments:

  1. Awesome!! Great review, can't wait to read it.

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  2. This looks so good! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  3. Great review. I loved Trouble.... Like you I thought Jordan had a great SOH.
    My heart broke for Mia but she was a fighter....
    I'll definitely be reading Trouble again!!!!

    ReplyDelete