Tags
Title: Stitched Up Heart (Combat Hearts #1)
Author: Tarina Deaton
Genre: Military Romance / Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 18th
Synopsis
As an Air Force medic, Bree Marks saw the worst the War on Terror had to dish out. Now a physical therapist, she uses her experience to help other veterans heal from their physical wounds; while she battles her own emotional damage.
Blaming himself for his best friend’s suicide, former Army Ranger Jase Larken, retreated from life. To honor his best friend’s memory and assuage his guilt, he started an outdoor adventure company to help veterans with PTSD.
Bree had better things to do than catch her cheating fiancé in bed with another woman. Jase is something better – for a night at least. For the first time in years, Jase wanted more. When he finds her again, he doesn’t give her another chance to run.
Jase’s possessiveness grates on Bree’s independent nature. She’s dealt with her fair share of alpha-male, door kickers and doesn’t need one telling her what to do now. But as a new danger emerges, Bree and Jase must face their pasts, before someone’s obsession with Bree destroys any chance they have of a future.
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Excerpt
“Was last week a rebound?” he asked.
“No.” She felt Jase release a breath as if he had been holding it, waiting for her answer. “I had no intention of hooking up with anyone on Friday. I just didn’t want to sit around my house drinking and whining about what an asshat Chad was. I can’t even remember the last time I had a one-night stand.”
“Then why’d you leave? You didn’t even give it a chance.”
“You don’t exactly seem like the kind of guy who’s lacking for female companionship. I didn’t want it to be awkward with you pretending like you’d call and me pretending like I believed you were going to. It was just easier to leave and not deal with the whole thing.”
“I haven’t been a monk.” He wrapped his other arm around her, shifting them so they were face to face. “But I haven’t taken a girl home with me in longer than I can remember. I woke up with your perfume in my nose and the taste of you in my mouth,” he said as he ran his nose up the side of Bree’s neck. “I was pissed when I woke up and you were gone.”
He moved a hand under the hem of her shirt. The warm night air caressed her stomach as he exposed her skin on his slow path up to her breasts.
Bree’s breath caught in her throat. His words, combined with his touch, fueled the slow burn of her desire.
“I want another taste, Bree.” Jase’s tongue traced her bottom lip before taking advantage of Bree’s gasp,
diving in and tangling his tongue with hers. His hand traveled back down her side, over her hip, and grabbed her thigh. He pulled her leg over his waist, nestling his rigid length against her core. With no one to interrupt them, their hands roamed freely, lifting shirts, unbuttoning buttons, and skimming goose-pimpled flesh.
Jase tried to roll Bree under him, forgetting they were in a hammock, and nearly toppled them out of it. He put an arm out to break their fall, but his momentum propelled him out of the hammock and onto the wooden deck of the porch.
Wide-eyed, Bree stared down at Jase. “Are you okay?”
Book Trailer
Stitched Up Heart
5 Why can’t we hogtie Bree? Stars.
I’m blown away by this book, by this author and by the characters, not just the main characters but all the characters. I really do not know where to start. But I can say that this book is epic. Yes. EPIC. Guess what? It is the author’s debut, crazy right? There aren’t enough stars to give this book. Okay so fangirled enough. Now my review.
Bree Marks is a secret bad arse. We first meet her when she comes home and her reaction is hilarious I was cheering her on.
She leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed her arms, drawing on the stillness. “Hey, Chad, sweetie. Are you busy?”
“Bree!
Shit! What are you doing home? You’re early. This isn’t what it looks
like.” “One, I live here, seeing as how it’s my house and all. And two,
you’re really going to go with ‘this isn’t what it looks like’? Did you
slip and fall and this lovely woman was nice enough to catch you with
her vagina?”
Shit! What are you doing home? You’re early. This isn’t what it looks
like.” “One, I live here, seeing as how it’s my house and all. And two,
you’re really going to go with ‘this isn’t what it looks like’? Did you
slip and fall and this lovely woman was nice enough to catch you with
her vagina?”
I nearly peed my pants at that moment but it kept on getting better and better.
Bree
Marks is a fantastic heroine. She is strong, sassy, intelligent and
hard working. To me she is real. This is refreshing as most heroines can
come across fake. She is successful and rich but doesn’t live beyond
her means. As a physical therapist she now helps those who come back
from war. She was special ops and is a total kick arse lady. I want to
be her when I grow up. She is scary yet sweet. On a side note how awesome is her gun safe? Bloody awesome.
Marks is a fantastic heroine. She is strong, sassy, intelligent and
hard working. To me she is real. This is refreshing as most heroines can
come across fake. She is successful and rich but doesn’t live beyond
her means. As a physical therapist she now helps those who come back
from war. She was special ops and is a total kick arse lady. I want to
be her when I grow up. She is scary yet sweet. On a side note how awesome is her gun safe? Bloody awesome.
Jase ‘the walking orgasm’ Larken is everything you want in a Hero. Strong, bossy, caveman but adorable all at the same time. He is currently trying to get his company off the ground V.E.T Adventures. To
off a safe haven for those who have problems adjusting after their
service is finished. It is a personal matter for him to see this
flourish. But it isn’t about easing is conscience no matter his regrets.
off a safe haven for those who have problems adjusting after their
service is finished. It is a personal matter for him to see this
flourish. But it isn’t about easing is conscience no matter his regrets.
After a cheating ex not that she was really bothered about it, Denise her best friend does what any best friend would do. Get drunk, makes an offhand remark. Let the chase begin.
After
a night of passion and things not wanting to be awkward Bree does a
runner, Jase is NOT happy. But he wants what he tasted although he isn’t
sure.
a night of passion and things not wanting to be awkward Bree does a
runner, Jase is NOT happy. But he wants what he tasted although he isn’t
sure.
“Shit,
I don’t know what the hell it was. It was just…different. The way she
handled herself last night. You know how we can be, especially when
we’re drinking. Loud and obnoxious.” “You mean drunken jackasses.”
I don’t know what the hell it was. It was just…different. The way she
handled herself last night. You know how we can be, especially when
we’re drinking. Loud and obnoxious.” “You mean drunken jackasses.”
But there is a high level of suspense for me anyway. I was constantly trying to guess who dunnit and well doubts were sowed to whether or not I got it right. As an alpha male what is the most logical thing to do? Yes get her to move in with you.
This book shows deep rooted pain, guilt but there are tender moments it is all so well balanced even the banter and sex scenes hot by the way. I want give the down and dirty but here is some sweet.
Until the night you walked into The Deck. You laughed, and it fixed something. Like sewing a wound back together. *Sigh, major sigh*
Here is some banter with more sweet.
Bree
snorted and blew out a snot bubble. Denise threw her head back and
laughed while Bree glared at her. “Get me a tissue, you cow.”
snorted and blew out a snot bubble. Denise threw her head back and
laughed while Bree glared at her. “Get me a tissue, you cow.”
“I love you. Snot bubbles and all.”
“You can’t leave me, Bree. For any reason. You hold my heart together.” Tears welled up again. She blew another snot bubble.
There is a serious side to this book one where it hits me straight to the heart. The author knows what she is talking about you can tell there is no false BS going on here. Quite the opposite. Nothing is ever gender specific and Ms. Deaton shows that here.
For me there is always that one book that stays with you. Last year it was Athica Lane by Brynne Asher. This year Stitched up Heart shot straight to the top of the list.
I can’t wait to read more by this author. A must read if I do say so myself.
About The Author
Tarina has spent the last 21-plus years in the Air Force trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. Currently stationed in Washington DC, she will soon be packing up her twin heathens (i.e. 4-year-olds) and moving to the Middle East for a 2-year assignment. As a single mom, her favorite pastimes include repeating the word ‘no’, the phrase ‘not right now’, and napping. Oh, and writing in her “spare” time.
Having never lived in one place for more than four years, her roots aren’t deep, but the friendships she’s formed over the years are.
Verbal contact is not recommended before her first cup of coffee in the morning, but feel free to stalk her: Facebook, FB Author Page, Twitter, Email. Sign up for her newsletter to receive all the latest news, sneak peaks, and find out how she’s coping in the hot, hot desert.
Giveaway
