~NEW RELEASE~ Girl of Lies by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Title: Girl of Lies (Rachel's Peril #1)

Author: Charles Sheehan-Miles

Genre: Contemporary
Purchase Links: Amazon ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Synopsis

Andrea Thompson is smart, assertive and beautiful. She’s also desperately lonely. Raised in Europe by her grandmother, she struggles knowing neither of her parents wanted her, and she has no idea why.

When Andrea receives an urgent call from her older sister Carrie, she agrees to fly to the United States to help. Carrie’s newborn daughter Rachel needs a bone marrow transplant.

What Andrea doesn’t know is that her return to the United States will launch a chain of events that will uncover secrets hidden for decades. Secrets which will rock the Thompson family and ignite a political firestorm.

Secrets that some will kill to protect.

ADD TO GOODREADS

~EXCERPT~

Dylan

“Give me one of those.” Sarah was slumped back in a cast iron chair as she said the words, her injured leg tucked up in front of her.
“Hell, no,” Dylan said as he lit his cigarette, shielding the lighter from the wind. He took a long drag from the cigarette, the coal lighting up, the faint sound of the tobacco burning audibly in his ears.
“I’m eighteen now.”
He raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her. After the too intense discussion with Carrie, he’d stepped outside for a smoke, planning on a little solitude. Sarah had followed him out onto the balcony. Twenty stories up, he could see most of Bethesda and parts of northwest Washington, DC spread out below his feet.
“I don’t give a shit if you’re thirty,” Dylan said. “I’m not giving you a cigarette. If you want one that bad, buy your own.”
“You’re kidding, right? I don’t leave the house. I’m a cripple, didn’t you know that?”
He slumped into the seat across from her. “You’re no more a cripple than I am. Actually your injuries weren’t as bad as mine.”
She shrugged. “I’m not a soldier.”
“Better toughen up, then. What’s this about you being a cripple?”
She sneered. “It’s nothing. Mom and Dad basically laid down the rule I couldn’t ever leave without an escort.”
“Alex said you home schooled this year?”
“Tutors, mostly. I can’t imagine what it cost. But it’s changed everything.”
“How?”
She raised her eyebrows. “You went to high school. You know what I’m talking about.”
Dylan shrugged and took a drag off his cigarette. “I don’t really. My high schooling wasn’t exactly normal.”
Her eyes widened a little, then she said, “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. I remember the night Alexandra told Dad you’d dropped out of school. He was overjoyed.”
“I’m sure he was.”
Unexpectedly she leaned forward, tilting her head slightly to the right, a serious expression in her eyes.
“You’re drinking again, aren’t you?”
Dylan froze. For nearly fifteen seconds he didn’t move. Then his eyes darted to the sliding glass door.

 ~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future. Charles and his partner Andrea Randall live and write together in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Find out more at http://www.sheehanmiles.com
You're also invited to join the Remember to Breathe Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/remembertobreathe/

Connect with Charles: Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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A Song for Julia by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Book Description:

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job. The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

Christina's BookReview

Recap

Julia Thompson is unlike her sister Alex in many ways. Julia is closed off and keeps to herself. She doesn't let people get close because letting people in opens her up to pain. Pain that Julia is working so hard to repress. There has been too much in her past. When Crank Wilson walks into her life he makes her feel alive for the first time ever. But opening up and letting him in isn't something Julia is willing to do. Not even if Crank tries to show her otherwise. 

Rock star, Crank Wilson has grown up with his share of difficult times. But unlike Julia he lives his life. Not is the best way but its a step up from how he grew up. When Julia stumbles into his life Crank will finally realize what real love is. Determined to show Julia that he can change and is willing to fight for her Crank weathers the ups and downs of Julia's turmoil. 

But will Julia ever open up? Will Crank finally realize that Julia needs to be set free?



My Take

I received and ARC of A Song for Julia from its amazing author and I must say that I was blown away.


In Charles's first book, Just Remember to Breathe, you are introduced to Alex Thompson and are thrown into her world and the world of the man she loves, Dylan Paris. During Alex's journey you are also introduced to the other Thompson girls and although I didn't think of wanting Julia's and Crank's story I am now excited that we did get it!

Julia's story is completely different from Alex's. Although they are sisters there is a gap in age which makes it hard to compare their situations. Julia is so strong but also so closed off to everyone around her. But there is reason to it and that reason makes you quickly sympathize with her. Julia's character is so easy to relate to that in some ways you feel like you are on the journey with her. Her journey of learning to trust in herself and in those that love her. Her past is one filled with so much heartache that all you want to do is reach through the book and hug her. Her pain, her suffering and her difficulty with healing is so heart-wrenching that you can't help but wish for this girl to finally accept herself and accept that she is loved. Bravo to Charles for eliciting those emotions in the readers because as many readers know it takes alot for that to happen.

And this story isn't complete without the amazing Male protag, Crank Wilson. When I thought that no one could be more perfect then Dylan Paris, Charles brings us another contender! Crank is your bad boy with a golden heart. But golden heart just doesn't seem to fit. Its so much more. Crank will make you swoon from his first sentence and then melt your heart throughout the book. Although he has had a rough childhood he is one strong man. His dedication to his sick brother, his family, his band, and Julia is unbreakable. He goes from not giving two shits about anything to wanting to be a better man and his transformation is incredible. I loved him and I'm sure everyone that reads this book will think the same.

Sean, Crank's brother, suffers from Asperger syndrome and seeing what that  is truly like is truly saddening but so incredible. The way Julia quickly becomes the one person that understands him is so amazing and so sweet. Seeing the true nature of the affect it has on a family is an aspect that I truly loved about his book. 

We also get to meet the Thompson sisters again and are again privy to Carrie's world. I for one cannot wait to read her story. She is truly and amazing sister and although she is the epitome of strength I'm sure that her story will be one that will capture our hearts.

So I don't have to say it but I will....PICK this up!! READ It! Fall in LOVE with it!!

Just Remember to Breathe by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Book Description:

Alex Thompson’s life is following the script. A pre-law student at Columbia University, she’s focused on her grades, her life and her future. The last thing she needs is to reconnect with the boy who broke her heart.

Dylan Paris comes home from Afghanistan severely injured and knows that the one thing he cannot do is drag Alex into the mess he’s made of his life.

When Dylan and Alex are assigned to the same work study program and are forced to work side by side, they have to make new ground rules to keep from killing each other.

Only problem is, they keep breaking the rules.

The first rule is to never, ever talk about how they fell in love.

Christina's BookReview

RECAP

Alexandra Thompson is trying to recover from her breakup with the love of her life. Every day for 6 months it has been a constant struggle but she is finally able to move on. Until fate intervenes and places her in the same work study as HIM. The guy that has the power to break her resolve with just a smile. The guy that she hates to love.

Dylan Paris has had the worse 6 months of his life. After being heartbroken and losing his best friend to the war Dylan isn't the same. He just wants to break the cycle of pain and do something right in his life. But when he has to confront his decisions Dylan isn't prepared for what's to come.

Will these two ever come to terms with themselves? Or will the mistakes of the past finally break them apart?

My Take

I have been hearing wonderful things about this book for the past few months and couldn't wait to read it. I'm so sad it took me this long! 

This is the first contemporary romance I've read that involved a military protag and I must say it was wonderful! Through Dylan's POV (yes another male POV!:-D) You see into the world of a soldier who has been in war, and having a family of military men I can say that the author did a wonderful job portraying the brutal truth of the aftermath. Dylan's trials and tribulations after his tour was truly tough to read about and made me quickly adore him because of what he had to go through. This book tells the hard truth of the post war affect and although hard to read it was incredible to see the "behind the scenes". Throughout the book I was rooting for Dylan to overcome his PTSD and my heart broke through every painful moment. He was pretty messed up and had a lot of baggage but having someone as headstrong as Alex truly helped him.

Alex was a little too clingy to me at the beginning. The way she was hooked on Dylan was pretty sad at first. But when Dylan is back it opens up the background story to their relationship and it makes you like Alex because of her persistence to help him. She didn't let her wealth or her family get in the way of what she wanted and showed us a kind side of her. Just like Dylan, Alex has her tough times and I admired her for her strength, although at first I didn't see it. She put up with Dylan's sickness which made you like her even more.

The secondary characters also deserve recognition because they added to this dynamic duel's story. The way every one of them quickly accepted Dylan was heartwarming. From Alex's family to her best friend. As well as Dylan's best friend Sherman. He was an amazing friend and I don't think Dylan could have made it without him there to help him and Alex through the tough parts.  I would definitely be stoked if he had his own story as well.

I enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to hear what my readers thought about it. Pick it up! You will enjoy it. Charles is a mastermind! Not only did he hit the nail on the head with the affects of the aftermath of war but also with both POVs.