BLOG TOUR: Downfall by Jay Crownover

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for New York Times bestselling author Jay Crownover's Downfall, a sexy, standalone contemporary romance! Today, on our tour stop, we have an exclusive excerpt to share! Check out all the stops on the tour, and grab your copy today, or read in Amazon KU! Find the tour schedule at the end of this post!

Genre:

Adult

Contemporary Romance

Publish Date:

March 27, 2019

Cover Design by:

Hang Le

Synopsis:

Solomon Sanders doesn’t have time to fall in love. Until a stunning, skittish, single mother forces him to pause and recognize just how empty and hollow his busy life has become.

From the start, it’s been ingrained in Solo’s DNA to fight.

Fight for what he believes is right.

Fight for the people he loves.

Fight for the traces of good in a place which tends to be filled with a variety of bad.

Fight for survival, so at some point, his life will quiet down and find a normal pace.

He wasn’t ready for the impact his secretive, shy, obviously out of place new neighbor was going to have on him. And never in a million years was he prepared to fall head over heels for her and her young daughter.

Now, he’s facing the most important, and the hardest fight he’s ever fought… the battle to win Orley’s damaged heart.

Orley Vincent’s heart is full of fear, leaving no space for love. Until a big, brash, brawler of a man forces his way in and makes her realize facing her fears is the only way she can ever be free.

From the start, Orley was groomed to believe she wasn’t good enough.

She wasn’t the perfect daughter. Or student. Or girlfriend.

But, she has always been the best mother she could be to her daughter, Noble.

Keeping Noble safe has always been the one thing she was determined to do, which ironically, is how she ended up on the wrong side of the tracks, living next door to an unlikely hero. Orley’s a woman on the run. She had no idea her frantic sprint was going to land her in the tattooed arms of a man ready to teach her how to fight for herself… and for love.

       

*Excerpt*

~ORLEY~

The nearly naked man in front of me stretched his arms over his head and I couldn’t look away from the ripple and flex of his clearly defined abs. His body was ridiculous in all the right ways. I’d never seen a man in person who looked like he did. He was like one of those irrationally, unrealistically hot Instagram guys, but one who was standing in front of me in all his muscly, sweaty glory. I knew somewhere in the back of my head he was dangerous, and I shouldn’t be so nonchalant about chatting him up, but I figured I owed him the common courtesy I bypassed the night before. One thing I had left was flawless manners.

He cocked his head to the side and asked, “If yesterday was the second worst day, how did you survive the first one?”

That wasn’t a day I ever talked about. It was the day that changed everything. The only reason I survived the day was because I had to for the little girl clutching my hand and watching the stranger with wide, curious eyes. I blew out a breath and changed the subject as quickly as possible.

“You ever have one of those days where it’s one thing after another and it feels like the universe is trying to tell you something? Trying to tell you to give up?” I shrugged before he could answer me. “My car broke down. My babysitter quit. My job cut my hours. The icing on the cake was getting attacked on the way home. Like I said, it was a bad day, but that doesn’t excuse me running off without thanking you properly. I owe you more than I can every repay.” I couldn’t think about what might have happened if he hadn’t shown up. My mind wouldn’t allow it.

He dipped his chin again. “No worries. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.” He moved to put the earbuds back in and I considered myself dismissed, but before he could block out the sound, the homeless man on the stoop roused himself into a sitting position and pointed a finger at the man looming in front of me.

“Go help the girl with her car, Solo.” His finger wavered but his voice was surprisingly clear as he issued the order.

Noble bounded up on her toes and tilted her head to the side. “Solo?” My kid was obsessed with Star Wars so there was no way she was going to miss the unusual name.

The man looked down at my daughter, and finally, a grin cracked the stern expression chiseled on his ruggedly handsome face. “Solomon. Solo is my nickname.”

Before I could stop her, she stuck out her hand for the big man to shake. I gulped when her tiny hand disappeared in his much larger one. “I’m Noble.”

He nodded at her. “That’s a pretty name.”

His head moved in my direction and I bit back a sigh. “Orley.” I tossed out my own name reluctantly. “And don’t worry about the car. We’ll figure it out. Seriously.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend any more time in his company. He made me feel weird and unsteady. There was a low vibration I could feel humming throughout my body standing this close to him, and I had no time for any kind of distraction.

~~~~~

**About the Author**

Jay Crownover is the International and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series, The Saints of Denver series, The Point and Breaking Point series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays, as well as live music and terrible TV shows. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road. For more on Jay and her books, visit her on social media.

Stay connected with Jay Crownover

    

~~~~~

Follow the Tour!

March 29^th

Bookgasms Book Blog – Review

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Cyndy's Read's – Review

Milky Way of Books – Review

North & South Book Blog – Review

Obsessed by books – Review & Excerpt

People Like Books –Review

Readers Retreats – Excerpt

Two Book Pushers – Review & Excerpt

Words We Love By – Review & Excerpt

March 30^th

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

Book Starlets – Review & Excerpt

Books 4 Girls – Excerpt

Kinky Girls Book Obsessions – Review

Lo's Lo-Down on Books –Review & Excerpt

Red Hot + Blue Reads –Review & Excerpt

Seraphim Book Reviews – Review

Sweetheart Reads –Review

The Lovely Teacher Addictions – Review & Excerpt

March 31^st

Always a happy ever after – Review

Bad boys and bedtime stories book blog – Review

Devilishly dirty book blog – Review & Excerpt

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

Nicole's Book Musings – Review

Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Rachel and Jay) – Review & Excerpt

Sofia Loves Books – Review & Excerpt

The Secret World of Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

April 1^st

A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Bookishly Nerdy – Review & Excerpt

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Ceres Books World – Review

I Heart Books – Review & Excerpt

LETSHAVEAKYA – Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Review

Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt

Tara’s Book Blog –Review & Excerpt

Whoo Gives A Hoot –Review& Excerpt

April 2^nd

A Book Nerd, a Bookseller and a Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Booked All Night – Review & Excerpt

Cat's Guilty Pleasure – Review

Family, Books and Food – Excerpt

Jeri's Book Attic – Review

Kiss and Tell Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

Renee Entress's Blog – Review & Excerpt

Stephanie's Book Reports – Review

The bookworms obsession – Review

April 3^rd

Anne & Melissa's Book Love – Excerpt

Bobos Book Bank – Excerpt

Book Fancy – Review

Crazii Bitches Book Blog –Review & Excerpt

Jax's Book Magic – Review & Excerpt

KDRBCK –Review & Excerpt

Obsessive Reading Disorder – Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Excerpt

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

April 4^th

All Things Dark & Dirty –Excerpt

BOOKS to LUST BY – Review & Excerpt

Curvy and Nerdy – Review & Excerpt

I Heart Romance & YA – Review

Love Notes Bok Blog – Review & Excerpt

Marie Stuck In A Book – Review& Excerpt

My Girlfriend's Couch – Excerpt

Onceupon_a_bookdream –Review & Excerpt

Shayna Renee – Review

Verna Loves Books – Review

April 5^th

abibliophobia anonymous book reviews – Review

CoensK Reviews – Excerpt

K&M Sultry Reads – Review & Excerpt

Lolas Book Blog – Review

Megan's Media Melange – Review

Messy Bun Book Blog – Excerpt

Nerdy Chic – Review

Reese's Reviews – Review& Excerpt

Soly's books – Review& Excerpt

The Bookish Sisters – Review & Excerpt

Blog Tour Organized by

BLOG TOUR: My Name Is Rose by Alexa Kingaard

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for Alexa Kingard's My Name Is Rose! Today, on our tour stop, we have an exclusive excerpt AND tour-wide giveaway to share! So... Check it out and grab your copy now!  Don't forget to follow the tour, HERE!


Genre:

Young Adult

Contemporary Romance
Publish Date:

March 15, 2019
Publisher:
Acorn Publishing

Synopsis:

Rose is unsettled, curious, and bored. Life in a hippie commune is her parent’s dream come true, not hers. She doesn’t share their passion for living off the land, nor does she enjoy the isolation that is thrust upon her. When she convinces them to send her to public school in the nearby town, a new world opens up to her.

As she pursues her education, Rose chooses a different path, leaving her parents heartbroken at her insistence they are hiding something from her. She’s convinced her father isn’t the man her mother married.

Although she finds love far away from her roots and upbringing, her wounds only deepen as she keeps her family at arm’s length. What she loses during those years can only be retrieved with her understanding that “a Rose by any other name is still a Rose.”

        

*Excerpt*

Chapter 14

… I cut short my self-guided tour of college student filled apartment houses by the university and looked for the next entrance onto the freeway. I was a pretty good driver, having mastered a stick shift and parallel parking on the old truck at the commune. Still, I dreaded the drive into the city and the cramped streets, steep inclines, and lousy parking options in Grandmother’s neighborhood.

There was no such thing as a garage in those old Victorian homes and finding a nearby, open space on the street always proved to be a problem. People who grew up there had long gotten used to the inconvenience, but occasional visitors like myself experienced frustration and annoyance. It would be my luck that I would have to heave my belongings two blocks, if I was lucky enough to find a space at all.

As I turned the corner to the now familiar street, perched at the top of a steep decline into the city below, my breath suddenly stilled at the spectacular panoramic view before me. Even though the day had turned dull and the mist hovered over the Golden Gate Bridge, I was surrounded by brilliant architecture in every direction. Dozens of charming Victorian homes, the painted ladies, lined the streets in both directions, punctuated by corner markets and one-of-a-kind specialty shops. It was a testament to the influence on the history of California and the discerning eye of the builders who prompted the city’s growth. No wonder Andrew had chosen this ambition for his life’s work. I caught myself thinking about a wedding, then a sweet little first apartment, then one child, making our cramped quarters impossible for a growing family, then a move to the suburbs, neighborhood barbeques, another child, two cars….my mind raced and the light turned green.

My fantasy warmed me. I could physically feel joy in the pit of my stomach. I asked Destiny once, after we had gotten an almost-new pair of identical boots from the thrift store as a special treat before we started third grade, “Do you feel that, Des?”

“Feel what?” She hadn’t the vaguest idea of what I meant.

“That dancing in your tummy, silly! It’s like your insides are giggling.”

It felt delicious to me and ever since that time, a happy moment or extraordinary event could trigger my sense of well-being. My whole body would tingle with pleasure and delight with that feeling of joy.

I didn’t mind driving around the block four times before I found a place to park. I grabbed one suitcase, my wallet, keys, and bounded up Grandmother’s stairs, only slightly winded from the short sprint. I met her at the door with a huge grin, amused at my own story of happily ever after.

“You look flushed, Rose. Did you run all the way here?”

“I didn’t notice. I do feel a little warm, but I think I’m just excited to have finals over, spend the summer with Glory and River, and take a week off with you to do whatever we want. I’m excited about seeing Destiny, too. It’s been almost a year. I had to miss her wedding, because she planned it right in the middle of winter mid-terms, and her first baby is the end of summer.”

“Well, first things first.”

What did that mean? First things first? I was starting to see how generations change, each subsequent one holding on to the popular expressions that conveyed their thoughts. What was first to Grandmother was most likely not what was first to me, which was kicking off my shoes and checking the refrigerator for a Dr. Pepper.

“Yes, Grandmother, first things first.”

“Take off your coat and hang it on the hall tree. Your room is ready, so you can take your suitcase upstairs. Then, come on down and get yourself a cold drink. I got plenty of Dr. Pepper just for you.”

I smiled. We weren’t that far apart after all.

~~~~~

**About the Author**

Alexa Kingaard was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of an adult son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders. A realtor for fifteen years, she remains involved with her profession and praises her brokers and clients for giving her the nod to be creative.

She gives all the credit for completing her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, to her inspiration and late ex-husband, Jeff, who battled the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return.

Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, was released through Acorn Publishing March 15, 2019.

Stay connected with Alexa Kingaard

    

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***The Giveaway***

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