The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog are pleased to be a part of the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Jane Harvey-Berrick's "Traveling Man."
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1zfmQIp
Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1C5cFGT
Synopsis:
I was ordinary. Nice. He was extraordinary. And he wasn’t always nice.
Moody and difficult, brilliant and beautiful, Kes scared me and he protected me. He could be incredibly hurtful and incredibly thoughtful. He wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for me. He challenged me, he took me out of my safe little box and showed me the world could be magnificent. He was everything I wasn’t.
Aimee Anderson is ten when the traveling carnival first comes to her nice little town. She doesn’t expect her world to change so completely. But meeting Kestrel Donohue puts her life on a different path.
Even though she only sees him for the two weeks of the year when he passes through her home town, his friendship is the most important of her life. As a child’s friendship grows to adult love, the choices become harder, and both Kes and Aimee realize that two weeks a year will never be enough.
Review: Kirsty Lander
This was, without a doubt, the best book I have read by Jane Harvey-Berrick, and I've read a lot of her books. It was truly magical!
I don't even know where to start. I could either talk forever and a day, and tell you everything, or keep it minimal, so that I don't spoil the story for anybody. I feel like this is the sort of book where you need to go in to it, knowing hardly anything. We know the basics and I think that is all that we need to know.
Kes and Aimee meet as children, 10 years of age to be precise, when the travelling carnival comes to the little town where Aimee lives. Aimee comes from particular strict parents, whose worst nightmare, would be the carnival. But it's Aimee's birthday, and her only birthday wish is to spend the day there. A day that will change her life forever, because she meets Kes, a boy similar in age, who is a vital part of the carnival. Kes travels around, starring in the main shows of the carnival, and instantly takes a liking to Aimee. Their 'relationship' was really special from the get-go.
"Kes could sense my resistance was weak - as it always would be when it came to anything
he wanted to do - and over the years, it was a weakness that he plundered ruthlessly."
Seeing each other for only two weeks a year, they had a different kind of friendship, albeit always very intense. When they could, they would spend every waking minute together. Whether that was with Aimee sneaking away to the carnival, or Kes sneaking away in to Aimee's bedroom! Their friendship started off as something really quite adorable, but the older they got, the strong their feelings because and soon it was something far more passionate than an innocent friendship. They fell in love.
Aaaaaaand that's where all the angst and heartache comes in to it ;) LOL. I really don't want to say too much about the story, and what goes wrong and where it eventually goes right again.. but, it's brilliant. The story captivated me from the start and I couldn't get enough. I read and read and read. There was a lot of love, but an awful lot of heartache too. Many times my heart ached for both Kes and Aimee. Life just wouldn't give them a break. They were complete opposites, destined to fail from the start, but no matter what, ultimately they couldn't keep away from each other, and fate certainly has a funny way of working. Especially for The Traveling Man...
"And you're at a crossroads. You're wondering which way to go - towards safety,
or toward love. Personally, I'd always go for love, but love isn't safe - it cuts and burns."
There were some brilliant secondary characters in this book, all of which I'd be happy to read about in the future. I feel like there are so many possibilities for future books, just from this one. I found the whole carnival aspect so interesting, and so different. I really can't recall many stories that have had such a different and magical theme, and been so addicting from the very beginning. Jane always seems to have a way of making her books have that one difference. They are always unique. And as usual, I couldn't name one fault with Jane's writing. It was really incredible.
Lastly, I just want to finish up by saying that, there is indeed a freaking cliffhanger! GAH. I knew it was coming and yet, I still wasn't prepared. I know some people are put off by cliffhangers, and yes they can be annoying, but I in no way regret reading the book. If a little cliffhanger is all I have to deal with until the sequel, then it's a small price to pay when I've read such a brilliant book.
"That which is broken can still be mended, if your glue is strong enough."
I rated "Traveling Man" ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Excerpt:
I gripped his biceps then pulled him closer, sliding my hands over his satiny skin.
The feel of his erection digging into my hip made me pause.
“We can’t,” I whispered.
“Why not?” he mumbled as his hand disappeared up my t-shirt.
“Because everyone saw us come in here—they’ll all know what we’re up to.”
“So?”
“So! I’ve only just met them—it’s embarrassing!”
Kes chuckled. “No secrets between carnies, Aimee. We all live too close to each other for that. Cut one, we all bleed.”
“How sweet. But I don’t want my new family to know that we’re in here fucking, five minutes after I met them.”
“They won’t care,” he said, squeezing my nipples hard enough to make me gasp.
“I care,” I said, as my voice wobbled unconvincingly. “And there are kids out there, Kes! We can’t give them the wrong impression.”
This time he laughed loudly.
“I never knew you were such a prude!”
“I am not!”
“Jesus, Aimee! These are carnie kids. They live in trailers and RVs like us. They’ve heard their parents fucking a thousand times. They’ve seen the stallion take the mare when she’s in heat, and believe me, once you’ve seen that, every guy has performance anxiety.”
I laughed a little when he said that, but he wasn’t finished.
“Do you remember when we were kids and you asked me how I knew that Madame Cindy was Dono’s girlfriend? I heard them. I knew what sex was before I could say the word. These carnie kids are just like that. We’re not doing anything wrong, we’re not hurting anyone.”
His tone had started off light and amused, but had become more serious and insistent as he’d gone on.
“Maybe I am prudish,” I said quietly. “It was the way I was brought up. I just happen to think that making love is a private thing between two people: not a public display of your testosterone, unless you’re doing it to make that stallion blush.”
He sighed and shifted onto his back. “Did I imagine you rubbing my cock while we were laying in the field at the carnival when we were kids?”
I didn’t answer, but fiddled with the hem of my t-shirt.
“You want to wait until everyone has their backs turned, pretending that they don’t know what we’re doing in the privacy of our own home?”
“Yes, exactly.”
He turned his head to smile at me. “My funny girl.”
I smiled back, and he reached out to wind his long fingers around mine. He brought my knuckles to his lips and kissed them one at a time.
It was the sweetest gesture, and I fell a little more under his spell.
About the Author:
I lived in London for over 10 years and have a love affair with New York. It's only since I have moved to the countryside, that the words have really begun to flow.
I live in a small village by the ocean and walk my little dog, Pip, every day. It’s on those beachside walks that I have all my best ideas.
Writing has become a way of life – and one that I love to share.
Connect with Jane:
Website: http://janeharveyberrick.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jharveyberrick
Giveaway: Signed books, book plates, gift cards
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so much for that fabulous review, Kirsty! I'm so happy that Kestrel and Aimee touched you :) jx
ReplyDelete