As you’ve seen, Smitten by Books (formerly The Season) has gone through a major facelift–new look, brand new site. Although, it’s still a work-in-progress.
All reviews will now be posted on the blog but you can still access all the older features and reviews on the Smitten by Books website.
To celebrate the new site, I’m hosting a giveaway where a $30 eGift Card and lots of books are up for grabs. Print books being given away can be found here, on the Print Books for Giveaway. I’ll be adding to this list over the next several days.
In the next several months (January 2015) I’ll be releasing, Always Been You, the second full-length book in my Unforgettable You series and today I’m posting an exclusive excerpt.
The best way to ruin a perfectly wonderful friendship?
Have sex with your BFF.
A mistake.
That’s what Troy calls what was easily the single best sex experience of my life. He claims our “slip” was due to too much alcohol. I respond the only way I know how, which is by burying the entire experience under a six-foot mound of denial and regret. Lesson learned.
Two years later, when I’m (finally)emotionally in a place where I can move on with someone else, Troy does a complete about face. Now he wants me. And he wants more.
That should have been the end, right? I’m getting what I’ve wanted since I was sixteen. But there’s no honeymoon period for our “new” relationship. The same devastating news that turns Troy’s life upside down soon becomes my cross to bear. And the only way I can get back everything I lost is to bare it all. Literally.
Now my boyfriend may be a progressive, twenty-first century kind of guy, but when it comes to his girlfriend posing nude for Playboy?
He’s 100% Neanderthal.
Other books in the Unforgettable You series:
I’m about to get into my car in the southeast parking lot near the English Lit building, when I hear, “Hey, Ridgefield, you got a sec?”
I turn to see April’s boyfriend coming toward me at a light jog. As usual, he’s dressed more for a night out on the town than going to class. Seriously, doesn’t the guy own a pair of jeans?
He slows and comes to a halt in front of me. I let the hand holding my car keys fall to my side and lower my backpack to the ground.
“What’s up?” I ask, trying to be cordial. It’s hard because I can’t stand the guy.
“I wanted to talk to you about what happened on Friday.”
Okay. So the guy doesn’t beat around the bush or let sleeping dogs lie. Good to know.
“There’s really nothing to talk about.” I’m not talking to him about me and April. It’s none of his goddamn business.
“Nah dude. It’s not like that. April told me everything. I know nothing like that ever happened between you guys, so…” He flashes me a tight smile as if to say, “Hey, we’re cool,” in a strained sort of way.
I stare back at him. Unsmiling.
She lied to him. April lied to him while I hadn’t lied to Melissa. Which is what caused the scene in the restaurant. Right now I don’t know who I’m more pissed of at, him or April.
I pull myself up to my full height so I’m taller than him by a good two inches. “Let me ask you a hypothetical. What if something like that had happened between us–me and April? Then what?” I challenge, feeling fairly aggressive and more than a little territorial.
Whatever fake goodwill he’d managed to drum up for our “heart-to-heart”—when he didn’t think I’d had sex with his girlfriend—gets crushed between his eyebrows clashing over the bridge of his nose.
“What are you saying? That your girlfriend wasn’t lying?” he asks in a voice fifty degrees cooler than before.
“She isn’t my girlfriend,” I reply, my irritation with him growing.
His mouth thins. He says nothing as he stares narrowly at me. After several seconds of icy silence, he says, “Look, I know April considers you a good friend, but whatever else you may have had going on with her, that’s the past. It’s over. She’s with me now.”
I blink once. Slowly, I look to my left, and then too the right. Nope, there’s no else around, which means this asswipe is talking to me. I just had to be sure.
I return my gaze to his. “And you felt the need to tell me this, why?” I refuse to give this idiot the satisfaction of knowing that he’s getting to me. The thought of April and him together is more than I can bear right now.
He squares his shoulders and juts out his chin as if that’s supposed to intimidate me. Ask me if I’m scared.
“I just want things to be clear between us.”
I throw my head back and let out a wry laugh. “Things don’t need to be clear between us. I’m not the one going out with you.” I can’t wait for April to lose this idiot. My bet is they won’t last another month. I pray.
“Look, I’m just trying to keep the peace.”
No. After what Melissa told him, it’s obvious he now sees me as a threat to his relationship. And you know what? He should, because I am. But I’m not going to admit that to him.
“Yeah, well don’t do me any favors,” I reply dismissively and turn to my car, turning my back on him.
“Well she’s with me now. Remember that.”
I don’t allow myself to react visibly, calmly unlocking the car door. Before getting in, I angle my head over my shoulder and stare him dead in his eye as I unclench my locked jaw. “Don’t fool yourself, Jenkins. I was there before you, and I’ll be there long after you’re gone. You’re the one who needs to remember that.”
Thanks for the chance! I can’t wait to read Always Been You.
new site looks sharp, love the bright cheery colors 🙂
Congrats! Thanks for the chance 🙂
What an excerpt!
Thanks for a great giveaway.
I really want to read the rest of it 😀
PS: INT reader
Thanks for the giveaway
Nice excerpt
Thanks for the giveaway! Love the excerpt, can’t wait to get my hands on the book!
Thanks for the giveaway. Been waiting for ‘Always Been You’ to release. Glad its finally coming…
Troy makes me swoon. I wish he’d gotten all proprietary over her sooner!
Looking forward to your upcoming release. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thank you so much for the chance!
That excerpt makes me want the book now lol.
Thank you!!
Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks a lot love the books, congrats
I can’t wait to read more about April and Troy’s ongoing friendship/relationship. Sounds like the time to reveal their true feelings is coming to a head.
Wonderful website. Love your giveaways. Excellent selection of historicals and contemporaries that I WANT TO READ.
johns lake at usa dot com
Thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks for the chance 🙂
I can’t wait for this book the tension between April and Troy has been building forever. I need this book! Gah *pulls hair*
Oh, thanks for the giveaway 😉
CANNOT wait for always been you! Thanks again for another wonderful teasor!
Thanks for the giveaway. We can always count on you to offer some really great prizes.
So excited for April and Troy’s book! Thanks for doing the giveaway!!!
thanks for the chance!
Congratulations on the new blog!
Sounds good thanks for the giveaway chance.
The new site looks great!
Exciting excerpt, I can’t wait to read more.
Tara Woods
Love the chance to win because if I am anything at all it’s a book lover. I looked over the books on the print books and they look so great. Can’t wait for you next book. Excerpt sounds soooooo good.
Thanks for the excerpt and giveaway.
Thanks for the giveaway & the new site/name looks great.
Thank you for the generous giveaway. I look forward to reading , Always Been You.
Love the new site, and thanks for the excerpt!
Looks like a good book!
Love the new site — looks great!
Thank you so much.
Love the excerpt and the new look!
Looks great and can’t wait for Always Been You
Love the new blog site!
Thanks for the giveaway!
What a great way to start November. Thanks for all the amazing give aways.
Thanks for the give a way. The new site looks nice 🙂
Love the new site!! Can’t wait to get my hands on April and Troys story!!
Love the re-design of the site – it looks great! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the new site! Esp the upcoming releases! So nice to see all the great books upcoming together in one place.
Very impressed with the new web design. I love it!
I’ve really been enjoying the new site! Great reviews, quick to load, and easy to read. Thanks for the giveaway!
Jody F
Loving the new makeover!
I love the excerpt
I like the new name of Smitten by Books, sounds inviting and clever. Enjoyed the excerpt
Love the new page
Can’t wait!!
Happy dance and love the new name. Looking forward to seeing your messages in my inbox.
Lynn
lareynolds0316@gmail.com
I love the new blog name! I also really enjoyed the blurb and excerpt from your new book. 🙂
Change is good. I like it!!!
Love the new name and site 🙂
Can’t wait until the book comes out!
Loving the new site!! Thanks for the great giveaway.
great new name its very fitting
Love the new site look and feel 🙂 esp the name.
I love the new name of the blog and it’s always fun to read the reviews.
Lovely site.
Can’t wait to read April and Troy’s story!
I think the new name really fits the spirit of the blog and the new look is great as well. 😀
Thanks for the excerpt! I’ve been waiting for this book for over a year! (i think it’s been over a year, right?)
The site looks really great!! =)
All fantastic!!
I don’t know any real life friends to lovers relationships. I am interested in reading how Troy comes to grips with the change in his feelings for April. Also how April deals with two men fighting over her.
Enjoyed the excerpt! Thank you for the giveaway!
The website looks wonderful! Thank you —
Can’t wait for this 🙂
Friends to lovers – my favorite trope!
I like the new blog
Love the updated site.
It’s always been YOU
I can’t wait to read Always Been You! Hurry up, January!
The site looks great, congrats on the new look and name. thanks for the contest!
I love friends to lovers stories. Always Been You sounds great.
Wonderful new site!!!!
I like the new name and updated site as well. Great contest. Thanks!
Love the new site thanks for all the great giveaways!
Awesome giveaway! I love the new site and name.
I love the new blog, the new name is cute. I can’t wait for the new releases!
I will miss Season, but look forward to exploring the new site. It has a nice clean look. Hope it works well for you.
Sounds like a great read!
This site looks great! I love friends to lovers stories and this one looks like fun!
I love the new site!
The new site book great.
I love your new page.
Tons of wonderful changes. Loving it all.
Love the Blog Name! Catches your attention.
Sounds good
Love the change!
Love the new name! Great giveaway
Great website!! Can’t wait to check it out better!!!
I like the website!
So glad I was introduced to this series and can’t wait to start reading it
Love the new site!!
Love the new site!!!
Thank you for the chance to win….. the new page looks great!!
Oh, yeah. Sex has that “ruins everything” thing going for it sometimes. :))
Congrats on the new layout. It looks great.
Thank you!
awesome giveaway! thanks for the chance!
Love the new name. Thanks for the giveaway.
thanks for the chance to win!
Congrats on the new site
Love the excerpt and thank you for the giveaway
Love this contest!
Awesome giveaway. Thanks for the chance.
Congrats on the new site!
This looks so good!! Thank you for the chance to win!!!
Thank you so much for this chance! Love the blog! 🙂
Fantastic, thanks for the chance 🙂
Awesome!
Awesome giveaway. Thanks for the chance
thanks!
Thanks for thi awesome chance
I can’t wait for Always Been You
Thank you for giveaways.
Love the new look!
Thanks for the chance
Thank you
this looks tasty!
Thank you!
thanks for the giveaway
thanks for the giveaway
Amazing! Thank you for the chance to win
awesome! Thanks for the chance!
Thank You!
I dont think I entered. Hope not too late. Thanks for a great giveaway.
crossed fingers to win a GC 🙂
So excited to have won and look forward to hearing from you! Thanks for such a great giveaway!